


Face Value (Don't judge a book by it's cover)

by Ivy Belle (IvyH)



Category: Captain America (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, Thor (Movies)
Genre: BAMF Darcy Lewis, Bisexual Female Character, Darcy is an assassin, F/F, F/M, Hallucinations, Human Trafficking, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Implied/Referenced Torture, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Red Room, Secret Identity, Torture
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-11
Updated: 2016-07-17
Packaged: 2018-02-12 18:42:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 24
Words: 67,385
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2120637
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IvyH/pseuds/Ivy%20Belle
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Darcy Lewis isn't as vulnerable as she seems, quite the opposite. As it turns out she has a connection with more than one of the avengers.</p><p>Darcy is an ex red room operative who thought life as a college student would be an easy cover to keep...well some things just aren't meant to be.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Inside apostrophe's is thoughts.  
> In Italics is flashback.

Plain, normal, forgettable these are some of the things Darcy Lewis was supposed to be. The quirky assistant that wore hipster glasses for non-ironic reasons. The complete opposite of a highly trained operative with 20/20 vision. Darcy would be lucky to get away being any of these after New Mexico and London.

Darcy paced the length of the living room waiting for Jane to come back from the store down the London Street. Her emotions were usually kept in check but after 6 years of playing a stereotypical college student she had started to pick up the habits of her cover. Daria Kseniya Lagunov was trained not to feel, but Darcy Kelly Lewis had no such training. So she felt. Emotions splayed across her face, she felt all of the emotions that Daria had had beaten out of her.

Jane was the first person to find out about Darcy's past. A few nights after Thor's departure from Puente Antiguo, Darcy felt she needed to tell Jane the truth. She was much less nervous about telling Jane than she was now with the prospect of having to tell Thor the truth before they went back to New York.

\---- Flashback ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_Obsidian dark sky and bright starlight is all that could be seen from the roof of the old car dealership they used as a lab. Wrapped in a rattan blanket, bottle of beer in hand, Darcy rolled her head to the side to see Jane sat on the other lounge chair. A wistful sigh broke the silence._

_"He'll be back, I don't know when but he'll be back he doesn't seem like the kind of person to break a promise, does he?" Jane questioned not removing her gaze from the sky above. She returned her gaze to the stars “I don't know Jane, some people just aren't what they seem, and we can't trust that he'll come back immediately". After all she'd seen Darcy definitely didn't take anything at face value._

_"I don't know you as well as I should but after what happened, not just with the destroyer but everything before that , I trust you ,you're my friend , I hope you'll trust him if he comes back"_

_“You shouldn't trust me, you're right you don't know me well, for all you know I could be a deadly assassin. Thor could be totally different to what he said you can’t take people at face value Jane" Darcy stated keeping her voice steady, her back going rigid at the confession of friendship and trust._

_“Yeah, but you’re obviously not a deadly assassin are you?” Jane sipped at her beer, turning her attention to Darcy. She stayed silent, not answering the question._

_“You aren't are you?” Jane laughs nervously._

_Darcy tugged a loose strand of hair from her braid. She had to tell Jane at some point, ‘So why not now? It’s not as if this would be the weirdest thing that’s happened this week! Right?’ She raised her eyebrow instead of answering outright._

_Jane dropped her beer, the glass clattering against the rough rooftop._

_“Oh my god! Should I have seen this coming? I just had to go and ask didn't I?” Jane had her head in her hands by this point. “Please say you’re joking Darce!” She was starting to pull on her hair; Jane did this when she was nervous or frustrated at a theory not working out._

_She cleared her throat. “I'm not joking, but if you’d prefer to pretend I was I won’t stop you.” She responded in the strongest tone she could muster. She placed her hands on the tops of her knees slowly, in a gesture she hoped would show Jane that she wasn't an immediate threat (Not to say that she couldn’t easily take Jane out from that position)._

_“But…How…Wait you’re only 21 how can you be an assassin? Are you really a student at Culver? Is Darcy even your real name? Wait that’s not important. What the hell are you on this intern-ship for? Are you here to kill me? Oh god I’m going to die before I can open the bridge again aren't I?-” Darcy quieted the litany of questions by leaning over to her and placing her palm over Jane’s mouth._

_“Please be quiet. I’ll explain everything as long as you keep your mouth shut until I’ve finished and we move inside. There’s a SHIELD surveillance team on the roof across the road and I’d prefer them not to hear this conversation! OK?” She removed her hand from Jane’s mouth and they went inside just like she said._

\--- End of Flashback-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After two hours, 3 more beers and the last blueberry pop tart Darcy had briefly explained her life to Jane and put her to bed. She hoped she would never have to explain her life again in that much detail (Even though she barely grazed upon what happened in the red room) explaining how she got to America took a long time, especially with Jane asking questions (her scientific curiosity got the better of her sometimes). Jane took it well all things considered, not once actively condemning Darcy for her actions; she was more interested in Darcy’s CS skills and aptitude for languages.

The rattling of the door broke Darcy out of her reverie, quickly grabbing the knife that was strapped to her inner thigh ,under her purple tunic dress, she moved to the end of the sofa with a clear view point of the door. She covered the small dagger between her hands and turned her head to focus on the TV which was currently running a documentary program on Penguins.

“Darcy come on I know you’re in there can you open the door for me my hands are full!” Jane called through the door.

She jumped off the sofa to help Jane. She checked the peephole to make sure it was really Jane before opening the door. She still had her knife in her hand when Jane came through the door, laden with shopping bags.

Jane noticed the knife and rolled her eyes “Seriously could you put the knife down and help me bring the bags in!”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inside apostrophe's are thoughts. Like this 'thoughts'.

Darcy harrumphed stretching her back to put away the last box of pop tarts on the top shelf. For one of the most intelligent people Darcy had ever met she seemed to pick the least healthy things to eat for when she was on a science bender. She always made sure to put one box of pop tarts on the top shelf next to a jar of instant coffee so Jane always had supplies for science benders (Caffeine and sugar a happy scientist makes).

After the dark elves invasion and the fall of SHIELD Thor decided to stay on Earth with Jane to keep her safe and be on hand if any of the Avengers needed his help. Little did he know he didn't need to worry about Jane’s safety if Darcy was with her.

“Darcy, I just got a call from Thor, he said he’ll be back in an hour.” Jane called from the living room, the TV blaring in the background. She had left Darcy to finish unpacking the rest of the bags when an equation popped into her head.

Darcy slumped down and wandered into the living room. ‘Right so an hour to figure out how the hell I'm supposed to tell Thor I'm a rogue assassin who can hack her way into a government agency in record time…..’

“You sure that you want to tell him today, I mean you could wait until tomorrow morning if it makes it easier.” Jane inquired, removing her gaze from the whiteboard in front of her to look at Darcy.

She sat down at the table near where Jane was working, pulling her leg up she clasped her knee with her hands, resting her chin on top. “It won’t be easy to tell him so why put it off any longer than necessary. I just need to figure out how to tell him without him summoning lightning or throwing myeuh-myeuh at me.” Darcy sighed out.

“I'm sure he won’t react like that, I didn't and this probably won’t be as shocking to Thor as it was to me. Just figure out a way to …well …sort of show him your skills so that when he asks it won’t be such a shock to him.” Jane responded, capping her pen after finishing her equation.

She sat down in front of Darcy, considering how often she forgets to shower and feed herself she was very good at giving insightful advice to Darcy. Darcy often thought Jane was very good at giving advice because she approached it like a problem that needed solving. “Thanks, that’s actually kind of helpful.” She hummed out.

“That’s what I'm here for, well actually I'm here for astrophysics and inter galaxy travel, but you know what I mean.”

“I always do.” Darcy replied with a smile. She got up from her seat at the table and walked to the kitchen. “And I think I have an idea on how to tell him.” She smirked squatting down to open one of the lower cabinets in the kitchen where she kept her targets for knife throwing. Grabbing them out she headed back to the living room to put them up before changing into her workout gear. She walked round her bed to get to her bedside table; Darcy yanked the draw open and lifted up the false bottom to grab her throwing knives.

Darcy walked back into the living room with her leather pack of throwing knifes. Picking up her targets she hung them up in various places all around the room.

“So you've decided what you’re going to do then?” Jane asked from her seat at the table where she was drinking a cup of coffee.

“Yeah, I'm getting a little rusty thought I’d try my throwing knives out again.” She laughed whilst opening up the leather pack and taking out the smallest knife.

“Just as long as you don’t break anything go ahead.” Jane nodded and took a sip of her drink.

* * *

 

30 minutes later Jane was on her second cup of coffee. Darcy decided to listen to her iPod whilst throwing her knives to drown out Jane’s gasps and hisses whenever Darcy looked like she was coming close to breaking something (When really she could have gone a lot closer without breaking anything).

The sound of the door unlatching caught Darcy’s attention, she whipped her head round pulled her arm back and released the knife in her grasp.

The knife lodged itself in the door frame half an inch above Thor’s head. ‘Crap that was probably not the best idea in the world’

“Darcy! What the hell?” Jane shouted whilst jumping up from the table.

“Oh crap, sorry Thor I kind of got carried away.” She apologised whilst ripping the headphones out of her ears.

“Tis alright Darcy you did not wound me.” Thor replied confusedly whilst pulling the knife out of the door frame and walking further into the room. He flipped the knife over in his palm. “It’s a very nice knife, well balanced. Where did you learn this skill?” Thor inquired.

Jane sat on the sofa in front of Darcy her head in her hands. Darcy calmed her face putting away her iPod and sheathing the knife in her other hand. “You should probably sit down; this will be a lot to take in.”

Thor nodded and sat down next to Jane. “For a start throwing knives isn't the only thing that I can do but I’ll tell you about that another time.”

Darcy pulled a chair from the table and sat down in front of Thor and Jane. Sighing she started her explanation. “Jane knows most of what I'm about to tell you and she has done for about two years now. She’s kept it a secret for me and I'm very thankful for that, heck knows what would have happened if SHIELD found out.”

She took a deep breath and started her story (edited story).

“I was originally from a small village in Russia where I lived in an orphanage; my first memory is of the dorm room the girls shared. I'm older than I look, by how much I don’t know. Anyway, one night some men broke into the orphanage and took all the young girls with them… I was one of the girls they took with them.

“They put us through tests and …procedures to see who was strong enough for their plans. I guess I was what they were looking for. They took the remaining girls and trained us. They wanted us to be the best weapon they could make us and we were. The stuff they made us do, it’s what nightmares are made of.”

Darcy let out a breath and shook her head “I don’t remember a great deal of it. I got my way out with the skills they gave me. That life’s behind me now.” She straightened up in the chair. “I understand if you hate me and want me to leave, I can be gone within the hour. But I want you to know that I didn't want to offend you by lying to you. I kind of forgot how nice it was to have friends.” She scratched her head.

“There is no need to fret, Heimdall warned me that you were not as you seemed.” Thor bowed his head to look in Darcy’s eyes. “You have kept Jane safe in my absence, you have earned my trust and I am happy to call you a friend and ally.”

Jane let out a relieved laugh “I told you so!”

“Thank you for taking it so well” Darcy smirked. “So did you have a good meeting with Captain Rogers?”

* * *

 

The conversation soon strayed off into the land of science so Darcy decided to clean up before helping prep dinner (order take out). The cool shower helped clear her frazzled brain and nerves. She’d really let her training slip whilst she was with Jane not just physically but mentally too.

She changed into a pair of leggings and an oversized sweater and headed into the empty kitchen. Thor and Jane were still in the living room. “Jane are you going to return from the land of science to order or do you want me to order for you?” She called from the kitchen whilst picking up a take out menu.

“Darcy can you come in here a sec? Thor’s got some big news” Jane shouted from the living room. Darcy backtracked into the living room.

“What’s up?” She asked plopping down onto the sofa the opposite end to Thor; he turned to her and smiled.

“Captain Rogers has told us on behalf of the man of Iron that he has offered us a place to stay at Avengers tower in New York. He has also offered Jane lab space and a Job.” He beamed.

“That’s great news! Are you going to go?” Darcy smiled back.

Jane huffed and rolled her eyes (She seemed to do that a lot around Darcy). “You’d be coming with us Darcy!”

“To New York. To Avengers tower! Seriously?” Darcy replied incredulously.

‘Just when I think my life can’t get any stranger’.

“Lady Potts will be expecting our arrival in several days if we accepted the offer.” Thor responded beaming.

“New York …right. So Chinese or Indian for dinner?” She inquired holding up two different menus.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all the kudos, bookmarks and comments it's really helpful and good to know people actually like this. I honestly didn't think any body would like this apart from my sister. 
> 
> Chapter three is already in the works. I'll try and write a few more chapters before I go back to school so that I can carry on updating.
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inside the apostrophe's are thoughts.
> 
> This chapter is unbeta'd so mistakes are all mine.

“Jane have you packed the oscilloscope yet?” Darcy yelled from her bedroom where she was removing her weapons stash from the false back to her wardrobe. 

“Yes I packed it with the solar flare monitor an hour ago. Are you nearly ready our flights in two hours?” Jane said popping her head through the door. Her eyes widen at the arrangement of weapons, fake ID’s, foreign currency and disguises laid out on the bed. “Wow that’s a lot. You do realise we are going to an airport right?” She questioned. 

“You say that as if you don’t think I've done this before.” Darcy laughed whilst packing her things into a duffel bag. “Plus we’re going on a Stark Industries plane with a literal god and avenger I don’t think they’ll question it too much!” She smirked. 

“Are you coming straight to the tower with us when we land or are you touring round New York like you did when we came here?” Jane questioned, picking up a collapsed bo staff between her index finger and thumb. “What is this?” 

“It’s a collapsible bo staff.” Darcy replied taking the staff from Jane’s fingers and gave it a strong flick with her wrist to expand it to its real length. Jane’s eyes widened. “I have a safe house/apartment already set up in Brooklyn for when I get there, but if you want me to come with you and Thor to the tower I’ll be more than happy to accompany you.” She smiled. 

“Great, the car should arrive soon.” Jane beamed. She turned around to leave but suddenly launched herself at Darcy capturing her in a hug. Darcy tensed under Jane’s arms before slowly relaxing her muscles and patting Jane’s Back. “I'm glad you said yes, you didn't have to.” Jane whispered. 

“I know.” 

“No I don’t just mean now, I'm glad you stayed after New Mexico. You didn't have to, you said yourself it would be more dangerous for me if you stayed. But when I asked, you stayed. You've looked after me for nearly two years. You may be the strangest friend I've had but you’re the best friend I've ever had-” Jane’s eyes were becoming glassy. 

Uncomfortable at the emotional turn this conversation was taking Darcy intervened “getting emotional on me now Foster, how much sleep did you get?” she laughed. It had the desired effect. Jane rolled her eyes and laughed. 

“Right, you don’t like emotional conversations sorry.” She laughed sheepishly, removing her arms from around Darcy. “I just wanted to say thank you for everything.” Jane patted her arm and left the room. 

Darcy sighed, packing the rest of her things into the duffel bag on her bed. She massaged her temple and took a last look around the room. ‘It’ll be nice to have my own space again’ She mused. 

Sharing a living space was taxing on Darcy; being subjected to physical contact, lack of privacy, geniuses that stay up into the early hours of the morning and the underlying worry that someone would find her and hurt Jane to get to her. 

But the worst undoubtedly was the nightmares. Darcy tried to control them, only sleeping when necessary and for the shortest amount of time she could. They often turned violent if she slept too long and let the memories play out. She was deathly scared that she would hurt Jane so she took sleeping pills before she slept and set an alarm to wake her when they would lose their effect. 

Over the past year she had been staying with Jane she got roughly 6 hours of sleep on a good night. ‘At least Jane will be safe from me when I'm sleeping’ she thought. She heard the doorbell ring breaking her out of her musings. She heaved her bag onto her shoulder and left her bedroom shutting the door behind her.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Wow!” Jane giggled. 

Darcy tipped her head back to behold the Stark jet that was taxiing down the runway in front of them. 

“You can say that again!” Darcy laughed. 

Jane, Thor and Darcy stood on the airstrip with their luggage sat around them. Darcy had her duffel bag and laptop bag over her shoulder and her suitcase at her feet. Thor had a large suitcase containing his Asgardian armour next to his feet Mjolnir in one hand and his other hand in Jane’s, her bags spread around them. 

The plane came to a stop in front of them, the stairs lowering. They stood there staring for what seemed like 10 minutes. A man with cropped dishwater blonde hair stood at the top of the stairs, he was of medium height with seriously muscled arms and a smirk on his face. Darcy surreptitiously patted the knife concealed inside her belt. 

“Are you going to get on the plane or not?” He called from the top of the stairs. 

Jane snapped out of her daze and picked up her bags flinging them over her shoulder and dragging Thor with her towards the plane. Darcy shook her head and dragged her suitcase behind her, quickening her pace to catch up with Jane and Thor. 

“It is good to see you friend the man of Iron did not tell us we would be accompanying you” Thor beamed when they reached the bottom of the stairs. 

“Well I just finished a mission in Hungary so it’s kind of on the way back” he dead-panned. 

Jane released Thor’s hand so she could carry her bags up the stairs. The man looked down to Jane with her two bags, then to Thor who only had a suitcase and finally Landed on Darcy who had her large suitcase in one hand oversized duffel bag slung over her shoulder and laptop bag strung over her shoulder her glasses skewed. 

“Do you need any help with that?” He called smirk still in place. Darcy smirked readjusting her glasses replying “Thanks but I've got it!” before picking her suitcase up by side handle and easily carrying it up the stairs towards the mystery man. 

“After you” the mystery man said when she reached the top of the stairs. Ushering them into the plane they put their bags down at the back of the plane and sat down on a plush couch around a table. 

“I'm Clint by the way” The mystery man – Clint – said sticking his hand out to Darcy she hesitantly shook his calloused hand. “Darcy the intern” she smiled dropping his hand, her cover of intern slipping back into place. She flicked her eyes over Clint’s form discreetly. His muscled arms, calloused hands and direct connection to the avengers led her to believe that he was the infamous archer Hawkeye. The strange tan patterns on his arms that matched the shapes of armguards proved it. 

“You must be Jane Foster then” Clint said offering his hand to Jane who was sat next to Thor on the opposite side of the table from him. “Hi” Jane shook his hand and smiled. 

Thor soon struck up a conversation between Clint about the gym facilities in Stark tower. Jane downed the cup of coffee that the air steward brought them when they arrived. “Did you bring my notebook with you?” she asked as soon as she finished her drink 

Darcy fished it out of her laptop bag along with her iPod. “Of course I brought your notebook, what kind of assistant would I be if I didn't?” she chuckled passing it onto Jane. 

Jane smiled “You should probably go to sleep it’s a long flight, I can wake you before we get there if you want?” 

Darcy shook her head still smiling “nah I’ll just listen to my iPod whilst you work.” She leant back in her chair watching Jane. 

She pressed play on her ‘of course you don’t need to sleep playlist’ which mainly consisted of rock and pop songs that you would never be able to fall asleep to.

As the sounds of ACDC flooded her ears she looked out the window to see the rapidly disappearing sights of London.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“We’ll be ready for landing at La Guardia airport shortly, could you please return to your seats for landing, thank you.” The pilot addressed over the intercom. 

Darcy snapped her tired eyes open. The intercom was loud enough to be heard over her music which had reached the quiet songs Darcy had put in to mix up the tempo of the playlist. She sat up from her slumped position in her chair. Her body was so tired she had almost fallen asleep right next to Jane. 

The landing was smooth onto the La Guardia runway. 

Darcy never thought she would miss America but in the time she had been away in London she found she had missed it deeply. New York was the only home she had ever come to know. 

The sight of the New York skyline through the round plane window was a very welcome sight. Darcy sighed in happiness to be back in the place where she felt most at ease. She tried to stifle a yawn her eyes stayed as open as they could. 

“Are you sure you won’t stay at the tower tonight Darce? You look pretty whacked.” Jane queried standing up with Darcy to grab her bags from the back of the plane. Darcy shook her head and rubbed her face. Thor came to join them slinging Jane’s bags over his shoulder. He looked no worse for wear after being on a seven hour flight. 

“I'm sure the man of iron has a spare bed that you could use tonight.” Thor stated a smile plastered onto his face. 

Darcy smiled back “it’s only four o'clock I’ll come with you and help unpack the lab. It’s better to stay awake until a decent bedtime then go to sleep, quickest way to get rid of jet lag and I think if I stay still for any longer I'm going to fall asleep.” “Alright but if you look like you’re about to face plant in the lab you’re going to stay the night got it?” Jane commanded. 

“Says the person who usually falls asleep on her work.” Darcy smirked walking down the plane steps into the sun of late afternoon New York. A car was waiting at the bottom of the stairs. The driver was stood outside of it talking to Clint. When they got to the bottom of the stairs the driver took their bags and stowed them inside of the boot. 

“I just got off the phone with Stark he said you’re rooms are ready and we’re ordering in Thai for dinner.” Clint said getting into the passenger side of the car next to the driver. Thor, Jane and Darcy all squeezed into the back of the car.

The car journey was quiet all the way to the tower. Darcy spent the whole of it looking out of the window at the city she loves. 

“Oh my god!” Jane breathed out, her eyes looking out of her window. 

“What are you…oh” Darcy’s mouth fell open at the sight in front of them. A gargantuan glass skyscraper filled the front windshield; it was one of the most beautiful buildings Darcy had ever seen. All swooping lines and bright light reflected off of the glass panelling, at the top a large A was emblazoned on the side of the building. 

“We’re here.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for sticking with the story. I'm having a little trouble characterising Thor and Clint so any advice would be appreciated. The new update day will be Sundays or Saturdays because I am starting school again next week, I'll try and write a few more chapters before then so there shouldn't be any delays but I can't promise any thing.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi this was uploaded at my Grandma's so any mistakes are mine.

They got out of the car and took their bags out from the back of the car. They stayed silent whilst walking into the building, trying to take in all of its immenseness. Darcy gazed up at the ceiling high above her it was so tall it made you feel minuscule. The lobby was quiet; the only sound was that of heels tapping along the floor. 

Darcy looked back down and saw the smiling face of Miss Pepper Potts. Darcy’s eyes widened in shock. Miss Potts was one of the most serene people Darcy had ever seen.

“Agent Barton did your mission go well?” She asked kindly looking at agent Barton. 

“Yes ma’am.” Barton smirked.

“Nice to see you again Thor.” She smiled.

“Aye it is a pleasure to see you again Lady Potts.” Thor beamed whilst enveloping her in a hug, Pepper awkwardly patted his shoulder.

“It’s wonderful to see you in person Dr Foster.” Miss Potts beamed sticking her hand out to Jane once Thor released her. Jane was still in shock so Darcy elbowed her in the ribs; she stumbled forward and took Pepper’s hand. “It’s great to meet you too Miss Potts. Thank you for offering us a place to stay” Jane smiled.

“It’s our pleasure; honestly it will be nice to have two more girls to even out the numbers.” Pepper laughed releasing Jane’s hand and turning to Darcy. “And you must be Dr Foster’s assistant, Darcy Lewis.” She smiled whilst sticking her slender hand out to Darcy. 

“Yes I am, it’s an honour to meet you Miss Potts. I wrote a paper on your work as CEO of SI for my political science degree, you’re amazing.” Darcy gushed whilst shaking Miss Potts hand.

“Thank you and please call me Pepper. If you don’t mind me asking how did a Political science major end up working for an astrophysicist?” She inquired a small smile stretching the corners of her mouth.

“She was the only applicant.” Jane interjected with a fond smile on her face.

“Ah, anyway you must be tired I’ll show you to your rooms and the labs, Thor seen as you've been here before I'm sure you and Barton can entertain yourselves until I’ve finished with the tour.” She stated

Thor kissed Jane’s cheek and took her bag with him and Barton to the elevator.

“Now let’s get on with the tour so you can relax and freshen up before dinner. I apologize in advance for anything offensive Tony says or does.” She says whilst   
walking towards the elevator.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The elevator was reminiscent of the glass elevator in Charlie and the chocolate factory. So far everything that Darcy had seen of the building took her breath away, it was a testament to the architect how beautiful the building was considering all she had seen was the lobby and the elevator.

“Good afternoon Dr Foster and Miss Lewis.” Darcy froze and surreptitiously looked around the elevator trying to find the person the voice came from but it was only Pepper and Jane inside the elevator. Jane looked equally as puzzled but Pepper seemed unfazed by the mysterious voice.

“Oh that’s JARVIS he’s the A.I. that makes sure everything runs smoothly through the building.” Pepper explained in return to the unasked question. Darcy’s lips quirked up at the corner.

The elevator stopped and the door opened on a new level. Pepper walked along a corridor and Darcy and Jane quickly followed her. The corridor had glass walls either side of it that looked out onto what looked like laboratories.

“This level is where your lab is situated; your lab will be next to Dr Banner’s and opposite from Tony’s workshop.” Pepper smiled whilst placing a key card on a patch next to the door handle and pressing her hand on top of it afterwards. She gave the key card she used to Jane and an identical one to Darcy.

“Here are your key cards to get into the lab; there is also a fingerprint scanner to get in which should recognise your fingerprints by the end of the day.” She said whilst opening the door to the lab.

“And this is your lab.” 

The lab took up what looked like a quarter of that floor. The dwindling sunlight from the floor to ceiling windows glinted off of a large metal desk with three clear screens around it, there was an exact replica of it facing Dr Banner’s lab. All of the large scientific equipment that Jane had sent in advance was in cardboard boxes on a workbench in the middle of the room.

Jane slowly walked into the room, Darcy and Pepper stayed near the door letting the scientist get acquainted with her new lab. “There is a set of protocols that you can set in place if you need to limit Dr Foster’s work hours, only you or I would be able to change the protocols. I'm not sure whether it’s just Tony and Bruce that need reminding about normal human functions or it’s just a mad scientist problem.” She smirked in a quiet voice.

Darcy smirked back “That sounds very useful; whenever Jane does science without sleeping for a couple of days her math tends to go …um what’s the word...”

“Skewed.” Pepper supplied.

“Something like that.” She laughed. “Better show her to her room before she gets too settled, I do not want to deal with a sleep deprived jet lagged Jane tomorrow.”

“Right let’s show you to your rooms, they are on one of the upper private floors.” Pepper remarked loudly enough to get Jane’s attention. She walked with Darcy out of the lab, Jane following reluctantly.

“Dr Foster said that you had your own accommodation in the city; please feel free to stay here tonight or any night if it’s too much of a trek to get to your residence.” Pepper said, covertly asking about Darcy’s accommodation.

“I'm staying in an apartment in Brooklyn which I should probably go and settle into once Jane’s finished settling into her rooms and unpacked the lab equipment.” Darcy remarked seeing that it was reach five o'clock on her watch.

“Please stay for dinner it’s the least we could do since you've been on a transatlantic flight and your apartments all the way in Brooklyn.” Pepper requested touching the top of Darcy’s shoulder in a reassuring gesture.

“Um …OK maybe it depends what time it is. Plus there’s this little Italian place down the street that does take outs that I wanted to try out the last time I was here. Also I don’t think jet-lagged me would be the best way to introduce myself to the rest of the avengers” Darcy responded unsure.

“That’s OK I remember how daunting it was the first time I met all of the Avengers together but really they’re just a big bunch of lovable weirdo’s that you get used to.” She laughed, her voice showing affection.

“Well it can’t be worse than our first meeting with Thor can it?” Jane said coming up behind Darcy and patting the duffel bag on her back.

“I guess not” Darcy laughed pulling her suitcase behind her.

“Oh I'm so sorry I forgot about your bags I can get someone to put them in the penthouse for you for later.” Pepper apologised tapping something into her tablet whilst walking towards the elevator.

“It’s alright.” Darcy remarked and walked into the elevator with Pepper and Jane.

Once they got to the floor with Jane’s rooms someone was outside of it waiting to take Darcy’s suitcase and she reluctantly left her duffel bag with them hoping they wouldn't open it.

They walked along the corridor in a comfortable silence until they reached a plain white door.

“Here is yours and Thor’s rooms Jane and here are your keys. Would you like to do the honours?” Pepper said handing Jane a silver key with a navy ribbon attached to it there was a duplicate that had a red ribbon.

Jane looked at the keys with reverence before placing the key with a red ribbon into the key hole and unlocking the door.

They stepped into the hallway of the apartment. The hallway led to a large living room with a plush leather sofa, two armchairs and an oak coffee table. Jane dropped her bags on the floor next to the coffee table and flopped down onto the sofa with a sigh.

“I’ll leave you guys to it, dinners at eight o'clock in the penthouse, Just get in the elevator and tell JARVIS you’re going up for dinner. See you later; it was great meeting you Jane and Darcy.” Pepper smiled backing towards the door.

“I was nice meeting you Pepper I just have one question if you don’t mind?” Darcy asked sheepishly keeping up the façade of a naïve college graduate.

“Of course.” 

“JARVIS doesn't record inside the rooms does he?” She asked.

“No he only records in the labs or if you ask him to on specific occasions, why?” She replied nonchalantly.

“I prefer to plan my murders in private.” Darcy deadpanned.

“She’s joking.” Jane said poking her head over the sofa before turning back around and mumbling “I hope.”

“I’ll see you later.” Pepper laughed at Darcy’s warped sense of humour and left the room. As soon as she left Jane whipped her head round and glared at her intern. Darcy smiled back innocently sitting down next to her on the sofa.

“What?” she asked.

“Really Darcy a murder joke, you do know spies/assassins/super people live here right? This probably isn't the best place to joke about murder.” Jane glared before rolling her eyes exasperatedly.

“Well I may as well get Pepper used to my sense of humour, she thinks I'm an innocent college graduate… the sooner I change that the better. What are you laughing at?” Darcy replied whilst Jane chuckled quietly.

“Oh nothing it’s just that you’re definitely not an innocent college graduate, I didn't think you were innocent when we were in New Mexico before everything.” Waving her hand Jane replied lolling her head onto Darcy’s shoulder.

“That’s probably because you were on the receiving end of a lot of my sarcasm, dark humour and death threats when you wouldn't stop science.” Darcy pointed out.

“We had some good times, although I’ve got to say the death threats were a bit more convincing after I found out about your skills.” Jane said avoiding using the A word (Assassin) she didn't like to think that her friend had killed people even though she had.

“We did didn't we.” She sighed looking at her watch and groaned. “If you want help unpacking the lab we better do it soon, I don’t want you staying up half the night unpacking it.” At the mention of their brand new lab Jane jumped up from the sofa and pulled Darcy along behind her.

Jane locked the door behind them and put the key with the red ribbon in her pocket and gave the navy one to Darcy. “Here just in case you need somewhere to crash or I lose my key. There’s a guest bedroom and Thor already has his key.” She smiled warm heartedly; Darcy hugged her quickly in a rare show of affection. They then headed down to the lab.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Darcy’s eyes were sore and tired when seven fifty came around. She cleaned her glasses and picked herself up from the floor where she was installing a piece of equipment in to the tower. 

“Jane it’s nearly eight o'clock we can finish off in the morning. I’d quite like to go to my apartment.” Darcy almost whined. 

“Just a little longer.” Jane said distractedly from the swivel chair she was sat on. 

“No way, it’s your first night at the tower as your friend I'm going to have to insist you go and eat with the avengers.” Darcy replied sternly whilst pushing Jane’s swivel chair towards the door before sticking her foot in front of it to stop it. Jane jumped out of the chair to stop herself from falling out of it, she glared when she realised she was in the corridor.

“JARVIS Can you lock Jane out of the lab until at least ten thirty tomorrow or when I get here?” She asked whilst shutting the door to the lab and waiting for the click noise of it locking.

“Of course Miss Lewis.” JARVIS replied.

Darcy smirked at Jane whilst she glared back. They walked to the elevator and relayed the message Pepper told them, soon enough the elevator doors opened up onto a large open area. There was a sunken part to the floor where Pepper, Thor, Clint and who Darcy assumed where The hulk/Dr Banner, Tony Stark/Iron man and Captain America/Steve Rogers.

“Jane and Darcy are here.” Pepper said standing up to talk to them. Everyone’s heads perked up. Thor grinned at them from his seat next to Clint. Jane walked toward the seating area and meeting Pepper half way. 

“Hi Pepper.” Darcy said smiling folding her arms over her chest in a slightly defensive stance.

“I'm glad to see you managed to get out of the lab, Thor said we might have to remind you about dinner.” She smiled back.

“No Darcy managed to trick me out the lab in time.” Jane replied with a playful glare.

“I'm well practised.” Darcy replied snarkily. Pepper laughed whilst walking back with them to the seating area.

“Well I hope you’re hungry we ordered a lot of food.” She smiled.

“I was actually just going to head home I came to pick my bags up and drop off Jane” Darcy replied tiredly. 

“OK well at least say hello first.” Pepper insisted.

“Alright.” Darcy smiled following Pepper and Jane. She smiled at Thor and Clint. Jane looked excited, she walked down the steps to the seats and stood awkwardly at the bottom near Thor.

Pepper sat down next to Tony with Dr Banner awkwardly on her right, Steve Rogers was sat next to Clint and Thor. “This is Dr Foster and her assistant Miss Lewis.” She introduced them seen as they hadn't.

“Hi” Darcy replied, awkwardly waving her hand at them. Jane still hadn't made a noise so Darcy knocked her elbow into Jane’s arm.

“Sorry it’s just an honour to meet you I'm a huge fan of yours Dr Banner I've read all your work.” Jane replied nervously, Darcy refrained from face palming.

“I… uh… thanks your work on the Einstein- Rosen bridge and wormhole theories are very fascinating Dr Foster.” Dr Banner replied nervously putting his hand out to Jane.

“It’s Just Jane.” She said, taking his hand and shaking it.

“Bruce.” 

Tony cleared his throat. “Well that wasn't awkward”

“It’s nice to meet you Mr Stark.” Jane smiled whilst awkwardly sitting down next to him on the larger sofa which left a space for Darcy next to Captain Rogers.

“Likewise and Mr Stark was my father call me Tony.” He replied.   
Jane carried on talking to Tony, Bruce and Pepper. Darcy turned her attention to Thor, Clint and Steve.

“Hi I'm Darcy, Jane’s assistant/babysitter.” She introduced herself to Steve smiling, sticking her hand out.

“It’s nice to meet you Darcy, I'm Steve Rogers.” Steve said his large warm hand enclosing her petite one.

“I know, Thor told me about his ‘Shield brother Steven’.” Darcy replied impersonating Thor’s voice, eliciting a laugh from Steve a deep chuckle from Thor and a snort from Clint.

“Am I getting any better at it?” Darcy questioned Thor.

“Aye, it was better than last time.” Thor beamed. Thor and Clint carried on their previous conversation. Leaving Steve and Darcy to talk.

“So…” She said awkwardly.

“So” He replied.

“Do you live at the tower?” Darcy asked not knowing what else to ask. Steve seemed to pick up on her unease.

“I do but I have an apartment out in Brooklyn which I stay in sometimes. What about you are you staying in the tower?” He questioned rifling his hand through his short blond hair, she smiled. His Blue eyes looked at her face without taking any detours that some peoples may have.

“I actually have an apartment in Brooklyn to. I needed a bit of space from Thor and Jane. Not that there’s anything wrong with living with them.” She quickly interjected. “Well not unless you like third wheeling a lot of the time or always running out of food.” She added smiling, he laughed again.

“So what do you do in your spare time Darcy?” he asked leaning forward.

“I read a lot.” She replies with a smile, her phone pings and she quickly looks at the message. Her smile brightened her tired face.

“Something exciting?” Steve smirked.

“Yeah just got a text from the storage place I was using for my bike telling me what locker it was moved to.” She smiled wistfully, she had missed being able to ride her bike when she was in London. Steve looked surprised.

“You ride a bike as in a motorbike?” He questioned.

“Yeah, So?” Darcy replied slightly defensively.

“Nothing it’s just I ride a bike as well.” He defended.

“Really that’s so cool what bike do you have?” She asked eagerly.

“I've got a Harley Davidson what about you?” He said happily finding middle ground.

“My Baby’s a black Ducati.” Darcy smirked remembering winning her in a bet. Their conversation was interrupted by JARVIS announcing the food to be here.

“And that’s my cue to leave.” Darcy said glancing at her watch and wincing at the time. Darcy caught Jane’s attention by tapping her on the arm. “See you   
tomorrow morning.” she said in leeway of a goodbye.

“You’re going?” Jane asked.

“Yeah I want to unpack before I go to bed. It was great meeting you all.” Darcy smiled. Before waving to all of them and reciprocating the various goodbyes. 

“Do you want me to escort you home?” Steve asked chivalrously.

“I'm OK thanks” She smirked before picking up her bags and heading to the elevator. 

Unbeknownst to Darcy Just as she was leaving the lobby of the tower Natasha Romanoff was walking in from the opposite end of the entrance. Darcy hailed down a cab and plugged her headphones in for the long journey.

She paid the cab driver and hauled her luggage towards the abandoned apartment complex that wasn't as abandoned as people thought. Darcy ‘bought’ the abandoned complex when she first got to New York before she started college as a safe house in case her dorm room became compromised. She refurbished the penthouse level so that it was one large apartment with a training area in. It was perfect for Darcy.

She unlocked the door and reset the security system before taking the still functioning elevator to the top floor. She let herself into the familiar room and breathed in a sigh of relief at finally being able to sleep without the fear of hurting someone other than herself.

She was home….well as close as she was going to get.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for sticking with this my next chapter is one to look forward to. I'm going back to school on Wednesday so I'm sorry if the updates become slow I'm deeply sorry. Any comments are very helpful especially on how I have written the characters.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi this chapter is in Natasha's point of view.  
> Inside apostrophe's are thoughts and in Italics are flashbacks or text messages.

She walked through the dark streets of New York towards the bright lights of Stark (Avengers) tower. The blonde hair of her wig and the lenses in her glasses reflecting the lights of the buildings above her. The noise of her heels clacking on the pavement was overpowered by the sounds of the cars passing her. She was content to be back in New York after having to rebuild her covers after what happened in DC. She would be safe from Congress behind the legion of lawyers Stark industries have. Her phone bleeped.

_Take out’s here where are you? - CB_

She tapped a reply in whilst still walking.

_I’ll be there in a couple of minutes make sure they don’t eat all the food :) – NR_

She walked towards the entrance of Stark tower, her eyes caught on the site of a woman leaving from the other end of the entrance weighed down with bags. She had long curly brown hair with a purple beanie covering the top. She was wearing a grey suede jacket, black skinny jeans and folded down military boots. Natasha carried on walking toward the entrance when the woman turned around to hail a cab.

Natasha stopped dead. The woman’s face was as familiar as Natasha’s own reflection. But that wasn't possible. The woman climbed into the cab with all her luggage and left.

She slowly made her way into the lobby of the tower. Shaking her head she told herself that she was just a look alike. She couldn't be the girl she had cared for because she had died. And it was All Natasha’s fault.

‘The hair colour was all wrong and so where the glasses and her accent and her hair was never curly either…’ Natasha stopped herself before she got too far. ‘There was no way it could have been her so stop thinking it’.

She walked into the elevator at the back of the lobby and pressed the button for the top floor. She calmed herself and set her emotions aside.

“Good evening Agent Romanoff, I trust you had a safe journey.” JARVIS asked when she was in the elevator.

“Yes it was JARVIS thank you.” She said whilst taking the blonde wig off her head and unravelling the twist her hair was in, letting the crimson curls rest around her shoulders. Removing her glasses and the tall heels she was wearing she put them into her bag; taking out the pair of black flats she always kept in there and put them on. She decided her black power suit would just have to do until she could get changed later.

“Would you like me to tell them you’re here?” JARVIS asked.

Nat smirked “Nah I think I’ll surprise them.” She replied.

The elevator opened up onto the penthouse floor, the aroma of Thai food hitting her nose when she walked in. It seemed that all of the avengers were there along with who she guessed was Dr Jane Foster by the way Thor was looking at her lovingly.

“Hey” She called when she got out of the elevator, she received waves and various hellos from the people sat around. She grabbed the plate of food Clint had put out for her and sat down next to him.

“How was your flight?” He asked through a mouthful of food. She rolled her eyes and finished her mouthful of food before answering him.

“Bumpy how was Budapest?” She asked remembering the last time they were there.

“Colder. London was good though from what I got to see from the airport.” He replied sarcastically. Nat shrugged looking down at her food. She was more shook up by the woman from the lobby than she was willing to let on. She kicked off her flats and sat cross legged on the sofa.

She sighed and ran her hand through her hair ruffling the loose curls. Clint looked at her from the corner of his eyes. “What’s up?” he asked quietly.

“I’m just glad to be back.” She said smiling at him, avoiding telling him about her encounter with a ghost. Clint could tell that that wasn't all that was on her mind. If she wanted to talk about it Clint knew she would sooner or later.

She finished her meal and turned to Dr Foster to introduce herself before going to bed. She stuck her hand out “Hi Dr Foster isn't it?” She asked in lieu of a greeting.

“Call me Jane.” She smiled taking her hand.

“Natasha. It’s nice to finally meet you; maybe I’ll see you round the tower.” She smiled standing up and taking her bag with her ready for a long hot shower and then her bed in her own apartment, ready to forget what she saw today.

“Night guys.” She called before walking to the elevator.

“Night Tasha.” Clint called from the sofa.

“Hey Nat are you up for sparring tomorrow?” Steve asked leaning his head over the sofa.

She turned around “Sure what time?”

“Eight o'clock sound alright to you?”

“Got it.” She replied before stepping in the waiting elevator and heading to her apartment ready to scrub the horrible air-plane feeling off of her.

\------------------------------

_The soft sounds of crying woke Natalia from her light sleep. She had been at the red room for just over a year and half now although it seemed much longer. This usually happened when the brought a new batch of girls in. The sniffling came from the bed next to hers. The girl was bundled at the top of the rock solid cot._

_Natalia put her head back on the pillow but couldn't go back to sleep. Huffing she silently slid out of her bed. The guard on the door was sitting against the door lazily, She rolled her eyes at his stupidity. She rearranged the pillows in her bed to look like a person and pulled the sheet up over the top._

_She sat on the floor next to the bed and tapped the little girls shoulder, “Hey, move over.” She whispered. The little girl picked her blonde head up. Her bright blue eyes glassy with tears. She moved over in shock lifting the sheet over the top of them._

_“Who are you?” The little girl asks timidly looking at the red head._

_“I’m Natalia, what’s your name?” She responds looking her in the eyes._

_“Daria.” She sniffled wiping her eyes with her small hand. Natalia must have only been a year or two older than her._

_“You shouldn't cry, they see it as a sign of weakness they’ll be harder on you.” Natalia stated, Daria nodded her head in reply._

_“Have they injected you with anything yet?” she asks slowly trying to make sure she knew what she meant, she mimed injecting something in her arm. She shook her head slowly. “No they took blood I think.” She replied her lip quivering._

_“Good you can go in prepared.” She replied, holding Daria’s chin to stop her from sobbing again._

_“Don’t show any emotion when they do stuff to you, it’s better not to show anything they won’t be able to use it against you. You got that?” She asked waiting for Daria to nod in reply. “That will be the only way you can get through this.” She said sadly._

_She peeked under the sheet to see if the guard was looking, he was still sat against the door. She slipped out from under the blanket but was stopped when a small hand squeezed her shoulder. She turned around to see Daria smiling at her sadly._

\---------------------------------------------------------------------

Natasha woke with a start clasping her hunting knife tightly in her grasp underneath her pillow. She could still feel the pressure of Daria’s hand on her shoulder. She sucked in a deep stuttering breath. Sweat poured down her face and shoulders. This was the first time she had had a flashback of Daria since she had left the red room.

Natasha got up out of her bed and went into the living room where she could hear the rain pattering on the window. She grabbed her suitcase from the hall and pulled out her wash kit and went into the shower to wash the memories away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for sticking with the story so far, I hope you liked Natasha's point of view any comments on it would be great. My uploads may be later next week because I have my first proper week back at school but I hope you will still stay with it.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Italics are flashbacks and inside apostrophes are thoughts.  
> PTSD trigger warning also Implied use of tranquillisers/sleep drugs.

Darcy walks into the spacious room and sets her bags down on the old threadbare sofa -which she had gotten from a flea market- which was next to the window looking out onto the street. She looked around at the large room, a reinforced wall sectioned off her training area leaving the rest of the top floor for her bedroom, living room and kitchen. Half of her living room was covered in monitors which were connected to her security systems, all of them had a self-destruct protocol written into the coding.

She walked into her kitchen making herself a cup of tea to calm her before sleeping. She put her iPod on and started checking the cupboards and making a list of the things she needed, rearranging the contents into a better order. She moved her block of knives into the middle of the island in her kitchen in easy reach from the entrance to the kitchen.

Her kitchen was one of Darcy’s favourite parts of her flat especially the island, it had sightlines into her living room and you could see a reflection of the front door. It was a perfect hiding place in case she was attacked at her flat (Which was incredibly unlikely considering all of the precautions she had put in place); it was hollowed out and contained a varied selection of guns.

She finished making her cup of tea and moved back into the living room so she could unpack her things. She took her laptop out of the bag and hooked it up to her wall of monitors setting them up to notify her if anything happened whilst she was out.

The living room had large windows which let the darkness from outside into the room. The room smelled musty with just a hint of old sweat- which was coming from Darcy’s clothing- the overall smell was one that was deathly familiar to Darcy.

Settling back onto her sofa she opened up her duffel bag and went through her things one by one. She was just starting to get into a rhythm of sorting them into piles of money, identification and weapons when she picked up one of her knives. It was a simple sleek combat knife with a dark blackish red lacquered handle. She gripped it slightly too tightly, the sharp metal digging into her palms, bright red liquid dripped down the blade.

The coppery tang of blood permeated the air.

She stopped suddenly. Utter dread filled up her senses.

Her heart beat raced. She closed her eyes and focused on her breathing to try and stop the barrage of memories that came with it but it was too late.

\---Flashback------------

_Sweat dripped down Daria’s brow and into her eyes but she could not stop to wipe it away. The sounds of grunting and laboured breaths filled her ears. Her muscles were burning from exhaustion, her lip split and bleeding but she powered on through it. She could not let her win again._

_Natalia had just got back the day before from a deep cover mission which had kept her away for two months. Daria had been back from her mission in Italy for about a week now._

_They had been at it for hours now, their moves only slightly slowing. The moves were still too quick for an untrained eye to tell apart._

_Natalia thrust her elbow into her side eliciting a grunt from her. She quickly jumped backwards out of the way and fell back into a crouch swinging her leg out to catch Natalia but she flipped backwards onto her hands._

_Natalia always managed to anticipate her moves dodging, flipping and hitting back before Daria could re-evaluate and change her moves. But she was getting better. She was beginning to catch Natalia off guard, hitting quicker or moving quicker than she expected. It was Daria’s only advantage._

_“Are you getting tired yet?” Natalia smirked, effectively blocking Daria’s hits. She huffed out a laugh and launched her knee in to Natalia’s stomach._

_“No, are you?” She smiled when her knee impacted Natalia. Natalia hooked her leg and kicked Daria in the kidneys. Daria sucked in a deep breath and carried on fighting._

_“Call it quits at the next death hold?” Natalia questioned whilst keeping her relentless attack going. Daria blocked the hits whilst throwing a few of her own pushing Natalia backwards._

_“Alright.” Daria replied._

_Natalia threw a kick which sent Daria backwards. She flicked her blonde hair off her face ready for the next bout of fighting, she kicked her foot up high aiming for Natalia’s head. Natalia hooked her foot around Daria’s back leg and caught the other and pushed it back causing Daria to fall on the floor with Natalia on top of her._

_Natalia whipped her knife out ready to end the game._

_Daria could not let her win again._

_Before Natalia could do anything Daria flipped her over her shoulders and onto her back pinning her legs, took the knife out of her trapped arm and pressed it against her throat._

_“I win.” Daria declared her face close enough to Natalia’s that their handlers wouldn't be able to see what they were saying. Her hair created a curtain around them._

_“Guess you did.” Natalia smiled back blowing Daria’s long blonde hair off of her face. They stayed there smiling at each other for a second before Daria got up off of Natalia and gave Natalia her hand to help her up._

_“Here” Daria said handing Natalia her knife back. Natalia didn't take it back._

_“Keep it, I’ll win it back at next time.” She said wiping the sweat off of her brow._

_“You sure about that?” Daria smirked flipping the knife in her palm testing out the weight, walking out of the training room alongside Natalia._

\--------------------------------

She was ripped from the memory by the sound of a siren passing her.

Her eyes blinking rapidly to relieve the pressure behind them. Her breathing quick and erratic. 

That was the last time she ever saw Natalia.

They told her that Natalia had died on a mission, something went wrong and she ended up with a bullet to the temple. Daria hadn't believed them one bit… until she saw the pictures.

Natalia’s crimson curls matted into the blood coating the side of her head, her eyes open and glassy. It had been imprinted onto the back of her eyelids ever since. Darcy had left half a year after Natalia was killed.

She hated the red room with every bone in her body. She knew that Natalia didn't die at the hands of her mark, it was the red room. She knew because the only way to get the title of the Black Widow was to kill the original. There was another red room operative walking around- in the same city as her, living in the tower she worked at- as the Black Widow.

‘She must have been a coward to shoot Natalia; she doesn't deserve the title of Black Widow.’ She was still gripping onto the knife the blood slowly dripping onto her coffee table. She dropped the knife and tried to mop up the blood on her jeans.

The only reason that Daria stomached being in the same city as her was because she knew that that woman had gone through the same things as her.

‘It wouldn't have been her choice.’ She thought bitterly ‘At least she managed to get out.’ Daria stood up and left the rest of her things to be unpacked tomorrow before work.

‘It should have been Natalia that got out.’ She thought slamming her the door to her bathroom.

She washed her cuts and bandaged them knowing that by tomorrow morning they would look like pink lines. The sting of the water in the cuts helped bring her back to the present.

She splashed the cool water on her face to calm her reddening eyes. She walked back to the living room grabbed her suitcase and took it too her bedroom. She got out the pyjamas on top and put them on.

Popping open the lid to her pot of sleeping pills she downed two and settled down to sleep. She sighed relieved that if she had a nightmare tonight (like she undoubtedly would) she wouldn't have to worry about hurting anyone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for sticking with this so far. School has been really hectic so I've decided that next week I will try and take a weekend to write up a few chapters so there will be no update next week but there will be one the week afterwards. Any comments are helpful. I'm thinking of using some of the comic timelines rather than the MCU because In the comics Natasha is as old as Steve so it would be easier to adjust hers and Darcy's ages to fit some ideas I have. Would anybody like the winter soldier to appear in the fic? I'll be happy to answer questions in the meantime, See you in two weeks.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi sorry this one is a bit shorter than usual.  
> Inside apostrophe's are thoughts and italics are flashbacks.  
> Trigger warnings for torture and PTSD attacks.

_There was someone in the room with Daria. She could hear their muffled breaths. Feel their movements in the room. Smell their damp boot soles._

_But she didn't care._

_They never usually woke them during the night for this. The rustling of the rough sheets on the bed next to Daria told her that she was next to be taken out. She steeled herself in preparation for the procedures ahead._

_‘Maybe they've finally found a way to get rid of our emotions.’ Daria thought, whilst keeping her breathing even. ‘Finally a way to make the perfect weapon’ She thought bitterly. 'What they've always wanted'_ _The last parts of Daria that cared for anything were gone with the death of Natalia. It was almost two months since then._

_The sound of the boot soles stopping in front of her cot alerted her to the fact it was her turn. She opened her eyes to see the looming shadow of one of the scientists. His eyes had a sick and twisted gleam to them. Daria focused her icy eyes on his, holding his gaze whilst she put on her black boots. She stood up ready for their inspection. The scientist grabbed her chin and looked her face over, searching for something. He tilted her head to the side trailing his eyes over her lean body as if she were a prized racehorse._

_“This one” The scientist said, stepping backwards to let the guards past him to Daria. The guards grabbed the tops of her bare arms and led her out of the room. The cold air of the corridor hit her raising the hairs on her arms. She kept pace with the guards as they marched her down the corridor._

_They walked down the familiar corridors bypassing the room she was usually taken to. ‘Where the hell are they taking me?’ She kept her confusion internalized._

_The guards pushed her through a heavy metal door into a dark room. The only thing she could see was a large metal chair with thick wiring attached to it. The lights suddenly came on, illuminating the metal panelling covering the walls creating a harsh glow. The guards released her arms pushing her into the chair. She kept her back rigid and away from the seat._

_“Prep her.” The scientist commanded, pacing to the other side of the room to work on a screen of some sort._

_The guards pushed her back into the seat. Metal cuffs encompassed her upper arms and wrists. Her head was pressed into a metal plate. One of the guards pressed a needle into the crease of her elbow. This was second nature to her now._

_“Stop!” The scientist commanded. The guard stopped from depressing the syringe. Daria’s eyes flicked toward the scientist._

_“He should be here any minute.” He said a smile spreading his lips. Daria locked her eyes with his again trying to gleam any idea about what was about to happen._

_The doors opened almost immediately after he said it._

_A middle aged man with short dirt blond hair entered the room. An entourage of scientist looking officials followed him._

_“Ah you’re here just in time, we were about to start the procedure.” The scientist exclaimed._

_“Go ahead I won’t keep you waiting any longer.” He explained in stilted Russian._

_“We had hoped to perform this procedure on the Black Widow but after her… untimely demise our plans have changed. No matter she will be better.” He explained, walking over to Daria he picked up a syringe off of a tray._

_“We start the procedure with a recreation of the serum used on The Asset mixed with another serum of my own creation. It should protect the subject’s neural pathways from deterioration over time. Then we will activate the serum using the chairs inbuilt systems.” Daria narrowed her eyes, the scientist was purposefully leaving out information, she suspected it was because he thought she would try and escape. ‘He would be right to think that’ She glowered at him._

_“How long will it take until she is field ready?” The middle aged man asked curiously._

_“She should be field ready in less than an hour I predict. She will be as glorious as The Soldier.” He replied a sickening smile gracing his face. Daria’s spine tensed at the mention of The Soldier. His name put even the leaders of the program on edge._

_“Now we shall go ahead with the procedure.” He replied._

_The chair was reclined until Daria was nearly horizontal. The scientist stood next to her head, his hand extending a mouth piece toward her. “You may want to take this.” He sneered. She bit down on the piece hard, her jaw radiating with the pain._

_The sounds of electrical whirring filled her ears. Out of the corner of her eyes she could see two more metal plates moving up around her head. Before they fully enclosed her head the scientist depressed the plunger on the syringe sending the liquid fire coursing through her veins. The plates crackled with energy releasing bolt after bolt into Daria’s mind._

_A blood-curdling scream filled the air was the last thing she could make out._

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Darcy woke up sweat dripping down her face, her hair sticking to her back. Her heart was pounding loudly in her ears, thrumming with power as if the electricity was still running through it.

‘What the hell was that?’ She thought hysterically.

She grabbed the knife under her pillow and leapt out of her bed. Her nerves were on edge, taking in every detail of the room. She stealthily walked to the door of her bedroom, listening for any sound out of the ordinary.

She opened the door to her bedroom crouching down low. She raised her knife up in a defensive position. She advanced round her rooms making sure there was nothing out of place.

There wasn't.

She let out a deep breath to try to calm her. “Who was that?” she questioned out loud feeling as if that would be the only way she could vent it.

She sank to the floor and cradled her head. This was the first new memory she had had in a while.

She shivered. The electricity she felt in her memory refused to leave her body. “Oh God what did they do to me?” She asked breathlessly, tugging on her sweaty hair.

The flashes of the memory kept replaying through her mind: the serum, her hair… The chair. She jumped up and ran to the toilet. Bending over the toilet she emptied out her stomach contents, retching until there was nothing but bile left.

Shakily she got up from her crouch on the floor, leaning her head against the cold mirror above her sink. She rinsed the acid taste from her mouth and splashed cool water over her dewy face.

Walking back into her living room she checked the clock on the side. The red lights blared the number 6:27. She sat down on her sofa thinking of what she could do for the next four hours.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this is shorter than usual but thank you for sticking with me. Having a real bad case of writers block for this fic and having various different plot bunnies for everything but this. Hopefully I will be updating next Sunday, if not I promise it will be the week after. Any comments are really helpful. If you want to see Darcy's uniform/outfit/armor that my sister has drawn let me know and I'll figure out a way to post it. Thanks


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inside apostrophe's are thoughts.

Darcy sat on her sofa tapping her fingers trying to focus on the TV show on her laptop. It was a futile attempt her nerves were fizzing and popping with anxious energy. Sighing Darcy shut her laptop and got up from her seat to get changed into her workout gear.

After getting changed she grabbed her running shoes, her small backpack and her iPod before locking up and leaving her apartment. The cold air of the early morning in Brooklyn filled up her lungs. She tied her hair up, put her iPod on and set off for her run.

She paced herself so she wouldn't look too quick, her feet hitting the pavement in time to the beat of the song reverberating through her ears. The release of her build up energy eased her nerves slightly making it easier for her to remember specific details from the memory. She lost herself in the even beating sounds. She let her mind wander.

‘The way the scientist’s eyes kept the manic gleam all the way through the procedure to the foreign man who came specifically to watch the procedure… their mention of the soldier.’ The last thought made her catch her breath.

She stopped at the nearest shop that was open to buy a bottle of water before walking toward the park. The tranquil greenery surroundings calmed Darcy. She sat on a bench underneath a cherry tree.

Downing most of her water she opened up her backpack and took out a small notebook and pen. ‘This is good, the more information I have the easier it will be to find out what they did and if they are still alive.’ She thought to herself reassuringly.

She wrote down a list of all of the things she remembered about the room (In vague terms so no one would know what she was talking about). Detail recall being one of the only things she has made sure she kept in top condition made this easy. Unlike her fighting techniques, since she got out she made sure she learnt how to fight with many different types of weapons not just knives and guns.

She checked her iPod for the time. ‘9:22 huh ran for longer than I thought’ Darcy mused, her lips quirking up at the side. Rooting around in the bottom of her bag she dug out and old pencil.

She dusted the top of the pencil and rested the tip on the paper. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath focusing on the image of the foreign man. She opened her eyes and concentrated on sketching his face onto the lined paper. Her hand gradually became quicker and quicker, filling in his features.

Her concentration was broken by the sounds of soft footsteps on the pavement at the edge of the park; she always kept her music quiet enough for her to hear the noises of the surroundings when she was in public. She quickly flipped to a clean page and pretended to size up the tree in front of her to draw.

The footsteps carried on getting closer. Darcy quickly sketched the tree into her notebook, her eyes sweeping the ground around her to see when the person is approaching (Most likely a man or a tall woman by the length of the stride).

The footsteps slowed and came to a stop next to her. She could see the grey running shoes from where she was looking at her notebook.

She removed her earphones asking “Can I help you?” she looked up to be met with the face of Steve Rogers. She put a smile on her face and closed her notebook, slipping into her mask perfectly.

“Good morning Miss Lewis.” He smiled.

“Hi Steve and please call me Darcy it’s too early in the morning and I’m way too sweaty for formalities.” She laughed.

“That space free?” He questioned with a smirk. ‘9:34 got to go soon’

“Sure” She said sliding along the bench to make space, putting her iPod away in her pocket. She took another sip of her water so that he would have to speak.

“How did getting over your jet-lag go?” He questioned awkwardly not knowing what else to say, he lent forward and rested his elbow on his knee.

“Good thanks, I just hope Jane got enough sleep before she started to science. I do not want to deal with a tired Jane.” Darcy smiled, her cheeks were beginning to ache trying to keep up her happy college intern façade. She knew that it was most likely true that Jane was already trying to do something to do with science.

He smiled “Last I saw of her she and Thor were in the kitchen at about 8:50 talking to Bruce.” Darcy laughed leaning back against the bench, she pulled her hair tie out to keep her hands busy so she wouldn't be sat still like a statue.

“Makes sense, she was probably talking science.” Darcy mused sliding her notebook into her bag. “I should probably head over there soon. Got a lot of organising to do.” She said, awkwardly shuffling off of the bench until she was stood up. Steve quickly stood up as well.

“See you around I guess.” Darcy stated, unravelling her earphones.

“Bye Darcy.” Steve replied. She slowly turned around and was about to walk off “Your drawing was really good by the way. Not that you wouldn't be good at drawing or anything, just you …uh …it was really good.” Steve said awkwardly running his hand through his short hair.Darcy’s nerves were set on edge, she laughed out a quick “Thanks” over her shoulder before walking away, plugging her earphones in.

She walked out of the park and kept on walking until she could no longer see the entrance to the park before she started running again. Just to make sure she didn't have any unwanted followers. Her feet were hitting the pavement at a quicker pace than before.

‘That was way too close; he could've seen the drawing. He could've seen me running. It can’t happen again.’ She mentally scolded herself. She ran as fast as would like normal back to her apartment.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

She unlocked her front door and got in the elevator to take her to the top floor. She was tapping her fingers along to the beat of her music. The elevator opened up and she walked out and undid the locks on her apartment door.She took her backpack off and turned her iPod off. Strolling towards the kitchen she took off her long sleeved running shirt and toed off her trainers, putting them next to the front door.

She grabbed a glass turning the tap on she filled her glass and consequently drained it gulping it down.

She checked the clock on the wall, it read 10:01. Mentally she prepared a checklist ‘Shower, get changed, pick up my bike, go to work and forget all about the new memory.’ She mused sardonically.

She wandered through her living room to her bedroom grabbing clothes to get changed into. She picked up her towel just as her phone rang. She dropped her clothing and picked her phone up.

It was an unknown number.

She ran into her living room waking her monitors up so she could start a phone trace. Just as it was about to ring off Darcy pressed receive putting it on speaker-phone.

“It’s so dark out I can barely see my shadow.” A lightly accented feminine voice stated in Arabic.

“Maybe she didn't want to be seen.” Darcy replied instinctively, her voice slipping into Arabic like it was second nature to her.

“It’s nice to hear your voice again friend, I was uncertain that you would pick up.” The woman replied after a pause.

“I could say the same for you, why did you phone I gave you this for emergencies?” Darcy replied an air of suspicion entering her voice, she sat down at her monitor desk.

“Can’t I just call and catch up; it’s been nearly five years since I last talked to you. What name do you go by now Shay? ” She asked.

“It’s Darcy now and I assume Isra that if this is the type of call I think it is I’ll be able to tell you in person.” She said matter of factly, her fingers clacked against the keyboard trying to trace the origin of the call.

A sigh emanated from the other end of the phone. “You’re right. I need a favour.” She said.

Darcy hummed. “Go on.”

“You once told me that you had to atone for all of the bad things you had done. I don’t know what those things were and I won’t ask but you said one day you wanted to be able to do that.” She breathed out. “If you help me on this you will be able to do that, well at least a small part of it.” She added.

“I have a job and a normal life now Isra I don’t want to be sucked back into that lifestyle.” Darcy replied sternly, clenching her teeth at the thought.

“I promise you Shay that, if you want, after this is done the slate is clean we’ll go our separate ways, never see each other again.” She said putting on an air of sadness.

“Alright.” She conceded “I’ll be with you as soon as I can. How long do you think it will take?” she stopped the trace on the call and grabbed a pad of paper tapping a pen on top of it.

“Good, there’s a flight leaving from JFK at three this afternoon for Shanghai, I’ll meet you there.” She replied her voice lighter. “I’ll send you the details, see you later Shay.” Isra hung up.

Darcy sat at her desk; she rubbed her temple with her hand and let out a long breath. “Guess I’m never going to have a normal life.” She sighed. “Who wants a normal life anyway?” She laughed lightly.

\------------------------------------------------------------

It took Darcy just over an hour and a half to: shower, get changed, pack her bag and pick up her bike. Her flight would be leaving in three hours ‘Just got back in the country, now I’m out again.’ She thought. Her bags were waiting back at her apartment for her to pick up when she came back from talking to Jane.

She sped through the streets of New York on her bike, weaving in and out of the traffic. ‘It feels good to have my baby back.’ She smirked underneath her helmet. Her hair whipped back in the wind.

She slowed her bike as she pulled into a parking space near the tower that was just about big enough for her bike. She kicked the stand on and slipped off her bike, her thick military boots hit the asphalt. She pulled her helmet off releasing her thick mass of hair.

She passed through the lobby, showing her ID to the receptionist, she got into the elevator and quickly hit the up button.She had already thought up a cover story for Jane so if anyone asked where her assistant was she knew what to tell them. It was pretty simple for Jane; Darcy just had to play her part. She let her eyes water up to look as if she had been crying.

She swiped her key card and scanned her finger print to let her in. Jane was leant over her desk scrawling something onto a piece of paper.

Jane’s head swivelled round at the sound of somebody entering the lab. “Darcy I’m so glad you’re here I can’t find the hard drive with our backup results on I need to check some.” She said happily, walking towards Darcy whilst looking distractedly at some papers. When she finally looked up her face fell at the sight of her friends upset face. Darcy hunched her shoulders up and crossed her arms over in a defensive state.

“Darce, what’s wrong?” Jane asked concerned, she quickly walked up to Darcy and her hand on her upper arm. Darcy sniffled and seeing her opportunity to tell Jane without anyone else hearing. She wrapped her arms around Jane, leaning her head on the other woman’s shoulder.

Jane froze Darcy never initiated contact, she awkwardly patted her back. “What’s wrong?”

“Play along.” Darcy whispered in her ear. “I got a call from an old friend asking for a favour of sorts. I’m going to be away for about two weeks I’m sorry that I have to go as soon as we got here.” Jane put her hand on the back of Darcy’s head.

“It’s OK.” Jane whispered.

“Anyway, I’ll call you once it’s over and I’m on my way back. I’ll programme JARVIS to help you out in the lab before I go. I’m sure Thor will manage to get you out of the lab anyway.” She laughed but it was damp with fake tears.

“What do I tell them?” Jane whispered back.

“Just tell them I had a family emergency and had to go up-state and help them.” She whispered back. She let go of Jane, slowly extricating herself.

“I’ll see you soon then.” She said quietly. “Oh and the backup hard drive is in my desk drawer.” She added smiling sadly her eyes rimmed with red.

“I hope everything goes well, call me as soon as you can and if you need anything.” She replied nodding her head and walking towards Darcy’s desk.

Darcy went back downstairs luckily avoiding running into anybody and got back onto her bike.

She raced back to her apartment so she could change her clothes and grab her bags before catching her flight.

She let herself into the building and ran up the many flights of stairs stripping off her jacket and outer shirt. She opened up her apartment door dumping her clothes onto her sofa. She grabbed her clothes she had lain out earlier.

Shimmying into her navy pencil skirt she zipped it up. She piled her hair on top of her hair so it was as flat as it could; she took out a light blonde chin grazing bob wig and fixed it onto her head. She took out a pair of green contacts and put them into her eyes. She grabbed her jacket and slipped on some wedge heels.

She picked up her bags and left her apartment. She walked down a block before catching a taxi to the airport.

\-----------------------------------

Her flight was long and she was seated next to a crying child, which her sensitive ears were not thankful for. She had to keep dampening her eyes so her contact lenses wouldn't dry to her eyes. It took her a while to get through customs and collect her bags, but she wasn't worried she had only had to bring her clothes and laptop.

She rolled her suitcase along the linoleum floor of the airport lobby, waiting for Isra to collect her.

Somebody cleared their voice behind her. “Miss Parson I believe?” a familiar feminine voice asked, Darcy turned around. She smirked slightly at the sight of her dark haired friend, she was dressed very similarly to Darcy.

“You are indeed correct.” She replied leaning in to peck her on the cheek. “Shall we go?” She questioned gesturing her arm out in front.

“We shall.” Isra smiled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for carrying on with the story. I'll upload the drawing of her outfit later once my sister has finished it. I have a week off school in about two weeks so hopefully have more time then to really figure out the plot. If you want you can find me on tumblr at http://ivyhswift.tumblr.com/


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Italics are flashbacks and inside apostrophe's are thoughts.  
> Trigger warning for child abuse.

Natasha POV 

**Trigger warning for child abuse.**

_\---------------_

_The light tap of ballet shoes hitting the floor filled the room. Natalia was at the back of the line next to the bar. The rest of the girls were lined up in front of her, a two foot gap between each girl. Natalia could see Daria’s blond head bobbing up and down every so often. She was one person away from her._

_Guards were stationed at the doors behind her; there was another guard by the small window that was the only light source from the other end of the room. Their teacher was walking up and down the room calling out positions for them to practice. Natalia could see Daria stumbling to remember how to perform the moves up to standard. ‘She better improve, otherwise they’ll cut her from the programme’ Natalia thought darkly._

_“_ _Pirouette en pointe.” The teacher called out. Natalia let go of the bar and started her pirouettes, from the corner of her eye she could see Daria just manage to make her way through it. Natalia’s feet were starting to hurt her now; they had been en pointe for most of the day. She just knew that her toe nails would be cracked and bleeding. Natalia and most of the girls had been training in ballet since they had gotten here four years ago, but it seems for the group that Daria had come in with that they had decided to focus on the fighting with them rather than the ballet, she assumed given that the group were taken to a separate room during some of the ballet classes._

_Natalia could see the sun beginning to set through the window; they had been practising non-stop for an estimated eight hours now. The teacher walked to the front of the line shouting out a new step._

_Natalia pointed her toes and practised the step, she could feel eyes on her so she slowly turned her head. Daria was covertly looking at Natalia’s positioning, trying to replicate it with her own feet. Natalia bowed her head down again and carried on with the step. Her concentration was broken by the sound of flesh hitting flesh. Her eyes darted up to the source to see the teacher standing next to Daria shaking out her hand._ _The other girls looked to see what was happening but quickly pulled their heads back. Daria had her head bowed, her blonde hair curtaining her face._

_“Did I say you could move your head?” The teacher reprimanded. Daria shook her head; the teacher pulled her chin up forcing the young girl to look in her eyes. “Answer me” she said darkly. “No ma’am.” Daria replied her childlike voice like ice. The teacher let go of Daria’s chin and walked to the front of the class._

_“You are all dismissed.” The teacher called, the guards opened up the doors and they all filed out into the corridor. Natalia slipped back a place so she was walking next to Daria, she could see the thin trail of blood on Daria’s cheek._

\----------------

Natasha woke with a start her surroundings slowly coming into focus around her. She looked up at the ceiling, “JARVIS what time is it?” She questioned. “It is 6:30 Agent Romanoff.” She slowly sat up in bed. “Thanks.” She got out of her bed and changed into her workout gear, the image of little Daria’s bleeding face kept flicking through her head.

She headed down to the gym; she picked up some hand wraps from the bench on the side before walking up to a punch bag. She beat out a steady rhythm on the punch bag each hit in time with her heart beat.

The images of Daria flashed through her mind ranging from when she first was at the red room till the last time Natasha had seen her before she died, well when Natasha first thought she was dead. Her fists pounded the bag increasing in speed. Her fists were bloodied but she kept going, just like Daria had done in their last fight.

Her mind flashed to the pictures the red room had shown her of how Daria died, they said she was shot repeatedly in the chest. In the picture they showed her Daria’s hair was tinted pink with blood splatter, a thin mist of it covering her face. ‘That’s not even how she died, they lied.’ Natasha seethed.

The sound of the door opening made Natasha slow the beating she was giving the punching bag down, she wiped the blood from her knuckles onto her t-shirt. She turned to see who it was; her eyebrow rose when she saw it was Clint. He never usually came down to the gym this early in the morning.

“JARVIS told me you were trying to kill one of the reinforced punch bags.” He said as greeting.

“And good morning to you too Clint.” Natasha replied sarcastically, returning to punching the bag. She focused on putting all her power into the punches, adding in a few kicks. The bag was swinging precariously when Clint interrupted.

“You look like you need to punch someone.” Clint told her from his seat on the bench at the side. She rolled her eyes and carried on her attack.

“Is that an offer?” She questioned in between breaths, her last punch sent the bag flying from the hook. She walked over to the broken bag picking it up from the pile of sand it created. She sighed when she got sand in the cuts on her knuckles knowing it would take them longer to heal even when she got the sand out. Before she could pick up the bag Clint grabbed it from the floor.

“Tasha I know something’s wrong, you can tell me if you want to?” Clint said pulling the bag to the side of the training room. Natasha straightened up and followed Clint slowly, unwrapping her hands. She grabbed a first aid bag from the side and sat down on the bench at the side.

“I had a nightmare. I have been for a couple of weeks now but the last one was the worst.” Natasha stated pulling out hydrogen peroxide to clean her knuckles with. Clint sat down next to her. “Tasha-”

“I know I should be taking my pills but they burn off too quickly and slow down my reaction time.” Natasha interrupted him.

“You should have told me earlier, there are other ways to deal with them.” Clint said softly taking a cotton ball out the first aid kit, pouring hydrogen peroxide on it and dabbing it on Natasha’s bleeding knuckles. She sighed and relaxed her hands into Clint’s. “There are just some things I have to deal with by myself.” Natasha replies tiredly.

“ No you don’t Tasha you’re not alone anymore, I’m here for you if you want to talk about it, I won’t force you but sometimes it’s good to talk about things. Help compartmentalise it.” Clint stated holding Natasha’s hand carefully, the warmth transferring to her hand. She smiled sardonically her head tilting to the side.

“It’s funny how you said I’m not alone anymore.” She sighed wistfully. “I haven’t told anyone about this before I didn't really see the point because it wasn't relevant but I guess it is now.” She straightened her back, getting ready to recount her story.

“You know that there were 28 operatives on the black widow program and that I obviously was one of them. They picked up each batch of girls at around five years old and trained them from then on. It was about a year and a half since I had been taken when they brought the last group of girls in, they seemed younger than the rest, I know they weren't it just seemed that way. They put them in our bunk room and left them overnight, this one little girl she was in the bed next to mine she was huddled under her sheet. I could hear her crying, it just sounded so innocent …so I just went over to her and comforted her. She looked so angelic, light blond hair, bright blue eyes and cherubic cheeks. She didn't deserve to be in a place like that.” Natasha bowed her head.

“Hey, none of you deserved to be in a place like that Natasha.” Clint replied dipping his head so he could look into Natasha’s eyes.

“Her name was Daria, after that night we became close over the many years we were there together. She was skilled, better at computers than I was but I was better at hand to hand. We were always taught that love is for children in that place our childhood was taken from us so we were always told that loving someone or sharing a bond with someone, being sentimental, it was an inherent weakness.” Natasha’s eyes were staring off into the middle distance, her mind flashing to scenes of Daria.

“They thought their little weapons were so perfect not having any attachments, they messed up with us they didn't want us to have any weaknesses so they got rid of them. They told me Daria had died showed me pictures of her dead. I didn't want to believe them because by then I was getting my suspicions about the operations but I did because no one else had heard anything about her after that.”

“It broke the little bit of control I had left thinking Daria had died. ” Natasha said in a controlled voice fearing if she let her true feelings show it would break her even more.

“Nat none of that’s your fault.” Clint soothed her, wrapping bandages around her clean knuckles. She looked at Clint and smiled sadly.

“It is though, she didn't really die then I know that now. She died in a fire at one of the bases; it’s my fault she’s dead because that was the base that I blew up when we tried to take down the red room. I only found this out a couple of months ago because it seems that the red room was-are working with HYDRA they had a file of the casualties from the fire and she was on there.” Natasha stated running her hand through her hair. “It’s my fault she’s dead Clint.” She exhaled quickly.

“It sure as hell isn't your fault Tasha; it’s those Bastards who ran the red rooms fault. If the roles were reversed would you want Daria blaming herself for your death?” Clint asked, Natasha shook her head.

“Thanks Clint.” Natasha replied standing up and walking towards the exit.

“Tasha, if they get worse you can always tell me.” Clint said walking towards the target practise area. She turned her head around and smiled.

“I know.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for sticking with this story next chapter we will be seeing Darcy being badass and hopefully I'll figure out a way to upload a picture of Darcy's uniform. Please comment any questions or ideas and i'll answer them if i can. Any mistakes are mine.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inside apostrophe's are thoughts.
> 
> Trigger warning for human trafficking and assault.
> 
> Mistakes are all mine.

“So what’s the deal Isra?” Darcy asks the car door thunking behind her as she slides into the back-seat of the black sedan. Isra smirked as she slid onto the seat opposite Darcy, her dark eyes glinting with mischief.

“Always one to get straight to the point aren't you Shay.” She smiled, “this is the first time I've seen you in what four years?-”

“almost five actually.” Darcy interrupted.

“- as I was about to say can’t we have a little catch up first, it would be nice to know what an assassin has been doing for the past five years that isn't assassinating people?” Isra inquired playfully, dodging the question. ‘She’s not going to tell me anything before I tell her what she wants.’She mused.

Darcy sighed “I spent a while drifting around before I settled in America, did a few odd jobs before finally deciding to go to college. Now I’m Darcy Lewis poli-sci graduate.” Darcy stated monotonously before leaning forward. “So now that’s out of the way, do you mind telling me why I’m half way across the globe?” She asked curiously.

Isra huffed indignantly before her gaze turned serious. “There’s a human trafficking ring that I've been tracking down for a while now, they've been taking young girls from the poorer parts of the cities all over Asia and some parts of Russia. The operation they’re running, it’s the largest one we've heard of to date. We came so close to getting them a couple months back but something went wrong, they knew we were coming, they intercepted the ambush I barely managed to prevent it from turning into a blood bath.” Darcy remained stoic on the outside as Isra talked, her blood slowly burning in her veins. Isra’s hands clenched in her lap.

“It set our progress back months, they changed their routes, trucks, how they picked their cities and even how they went about capturing the women. It could take us months and months before we find out where they’re base of operations is.” Isra replied anger seeping into her voice.

“You need someone on the inside.” Darcy said quietly. “That’s why you called me.” Her teeth clenched in irritation. Isra looked at Darcy, her dark eyes meeting the fake green ones.

“Yes, we figured out the next place they are going to hit.” Isra replied unapologetically. She leant back against the seat a weight off of her shoulders.

“Where is it?” Darcy questioned, eyebrow raised her interest piqued.

“Khabarovsk, we’re staying at a hotel near Beijing tonight –we should be nearing the train station now actually- where you’ll be able to perfect your cover before we fly out tomorrow. We’ll drop you near the city but as soon as we are there it’ll be radio silence. If they so much as get a whiff of us-” Isra replied menacingly.

“I get it, deep cover. But why pick me, surely you would be able to do it.” Darcy replied, her mind easily slipping back into that of a highly trained operative. Isra smiled sardonically.

“You fit the criteria of the victims and you can keep a deep cover a lot better than I could. It also means that I can head up the extraction team whilst you disable the security systems with your CS skills.” Isra replied as the car rolled to a stop. She passed Darcy a folder before undoing her seatbelt. “here, this should cover everything you need to know.” Isra got out of the car, shutting the door behind her.

“Yes I’ll act as bait for the human traffickers Isra, no of course you didn't need to ask” Darcy said sarcastically before slipping out of the car to follow Isra into the train station.

The train ride was positively short compared to the plane journey, Isra and Darcy played poker to pass the time, but after Darcy won five games consecutively in a row Isra called it quits. As soon as they got off the train they headed straight to the hotel.

 “And here is your room.” Isra said extending her hand to the door in front of her. Darcy dragged her suitcase along behind her, her laptop bag slung over her shoulder.

“There’s everything you need for your cover in there, and this ring will track the signal as soon as you smash the main black gem” Isra stated. Darcy walked into the large room, putting her bags by the door before turning around to face Isra whom placed the delicate silver ring, with a large black gem with two red gems set beside it, into Darcy’s palm before curling her fingers around it, her hand resting on top of hers.

“I’ll see you in the morning then.” Darcy said leaning against the door-jamb.

“Get a good night’s rest.” Isra smiled touching Darcy’s upper arm before turning around and leaving. Darcy turned around to head back inside when Isra called over her shoulder, “Oh and I suggest leaving the hair dye on for an extra ten minutes to make the colour look more natural.” Darcy raised her eyebrow.

“What hair dye?” she questioned.

“You’ll see.” Isra replied before wandering down the corridor. Curious, Darcy walked into the bathroom, shucking off her shoes and Jacket on the way.

The bathroom consisted of a sleek bathtub, a shower cubicle, a toilet and a marble sink. On the side of the sink stood two packets of hair dye, the bright blonde colour of the packets stood out against the pale bathroom. She walked over to the sink her eyes fixated on the colour of the dye. ‘It looks just like my old hair in the red room’ she thought pulling the blonde bob wig off of her head, her thick brown waves falling over her shoulders.

She took her contact lenses out before walking back into her room to put on her pyjama shirt so she wouldn't dye her cream blouse . She closed her eyes seeing flashes of Natalia’s face and hair assaulting her eyelids along with her own. She snapped her eyes open and took a deep breath. ‘Snap out of it Natalia wouldn't be this weak’ she mused to herself. She cleared her mind of all thoughts and marched herself into the bathroom.

\------------------------------

A week went by in Khabarovsk without a hitch, Darcy settled in quickly pretending that she had just moved from the countryside to live in the city all by herself, spending her days working in a small café near the place Isra had set up for her. She got used to seeing her face from the past everyday in the mirror.

It was strange pretending to be a young innocent girl - no less a child - after the past few years she had spent as a brash smart mouthed college student and her formative years as a glorified killing machine.

She made her connections quickly, setting everything up so it would almost look wrong for her not to be taken. Her days spent working in the little café down the road and her nights spent either in the bar near the café doing re-con or tracking the ring from her laptop in her room.

On the eighth day of the mission she got ready for work as usual, knowing that today would be the day she would be captured. She kept the ring with a tracker inside that Isra had given her on a chain tucked into her bra under the frilly floral clothing that had become her shell for the past week. Heading for work she picked up her reinforced steel toed black heeled boots and left her room.

Eight hours later her shift at the café was done and she was heading to the bar when she felt someone following her. She pulled her coat tighter and kept her pace the same flicking her blonde curls over her shoulder a small smirk curling at her lips.

When she passed the open mouth of an alley a set of arms grabbed her from the side, she let out a scream that was muffled quickly by the hand that wasn't pinning her arms. She rolled her eyes at how easily she would have been able to get out of it if she was trying. Pretending to try and fight off her attackers she was dragged to a van that was idling at the end of the alleyway.

They zip tied her hands behind her back and gagged her. They threw her into the van where seven other girls were already there, all of them were crying. Her knees hit the dirty floor of the van scratching the bare skin. The doors slammed shut behind her and the van started with a jolt that sent her flying into one of the other girls. She cried out and Darcy immediately extricated herself off of her.

She shuffled into the corner, her floral dress ripped over her hip so much so that you could see her light rose underwear; luckily her leather jacket covered it so she wouldn't get too cold. Darcy filtered out the other girls sobbing cries so she could stay focused. She pulled her knees tight to her chest before slowly slipping her hands under herself, wincing at the momentary pain it caused them. She released a breath of success when her hands came in front of her.

By that point a few of the girls had noticed what Darcy was doing and were staring at her. She smirked around the gag in her mouth; she brought her hands up to her chest and reached into her bra to retrieve her necklace. She shook it off of her head, unclasping it she let the ring drop carefully into her lap before slipping it on the middle finger of her right hand.

She wrapped the chain around her head before going into her bra again this time fishing out a small knife. One of the younger girls who must have been eighteen at the most, whimpered in fear.

Darcy pulled the gag out of her mouth, knife still in hand, leaning forward she whispered quietly in Russian “It’s all going to be okay, trust me.” hesitating over giving the girl her knife. “Here, turn around.” The girl looked at her in fear, her green eyes glistening, before slowly turning around.

Darcy grasped the girls hand straightening her fingers out before sliding the small knife up her sleeve, whispering. “You’ll know when to use it.” She pulled her gag back into place.

Darcy shuffled back before rolling onto the balls of her feet so she could put her arms behind her back without smashing the gem. She huffed and lent back against the van mentally going through her plan of action as the van carried on its course to the main base.

\---------------

Darcy's outfit/Costume/Uniform:

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for sticking with this I've been gone for so long I didn't even realise how long it had been. Sorry for the sort of cliff hanger ending. Any comments would be helpful, I hope you like the costume, if you want me to explain it I can. Can anyone guess what Darcy's codename will be? It will be featured in the next update. If you like Isra I may work her into a few more chapters later on than I already plan. Bucky may be making a sort of appearance soon. Thank you again for sticking it out.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry for the long wait.  
> As always in apostrophe's are thoughts.  
> Trigger for human trafficking, allusion to sexual assault and child abuse.

It took a couple of hours to get to the base; the cries of the other women in the van had quietened down to a background noise. Darcy had zoned the noise out and levelled her breathing and heartbeat, settling into the familiar mind-set of an assassin knowing she would probably be needed to kill tonight.

The van slowly chugged its way to the base, Darcy felt it pull its way up and down inclines. The incessant drone of the engines helping her concentrate on the task head.

The van finally came to a stop, the women’s cries quieted to an almost eerie silence. The front doors slammed and Darcy pressed her back against the wall of the van and clenched her hands together, she slammed her hands down hard against the floor of the van, certain that the gem had smashed. The other women in the van looked at her with fear in their eyes.

The doors to the van were thrown open with such a force that it made the van shudder. Darcy retreated back into a cowering position that mirrored the other women’s poses. The two men that had captured her earlier were at the doors entrance holding semi-automatic rifles - another man was stood behind them - in their hands pointed into the van.

“Get up!” The man closest to Darcy shouted at them in Russian. The women cowered but didn’t make a move. “I Said GET UP!” He shouted louder pointing his gun menacingly, he dragged the woman closest to him out of the van, and it set Darcy’s blood boiling ‘Asshole’ she seethed. She stood up along with the rest of the women and slowly walked out of the van making, sure that she was at the back of the congregation.

Her feet hit the wet ground below, the sky was dark above them the only thing giving off any light were the sparse stars above them and the crescent shape of the waning moon. She could see the building they were being lead to looming in front of them. The grey walls of the concrete building blended with the mountainside it was built into.

The man that she hadn't seen before stood behind her as they were hustled to the entrance of the compound. She spotted two guards at the entrance, both of them wearing earpieces; a camera was nestled above the entrance. Darcy hid the smirk that was playing at her lips; by the looks of it she would be able to disable their security system. ‘If I have to fight my way through them I will do it gladly’ she thought, her blood pumping through her rapidly, her muscles jumping to be used.

They were going down a corridor (two old cameras at every doorway, one above one opposite) when they suddenly stopped. Darcy planted her feet quickly to stop herself from careening into the young woman who she had given the knife to earlier. The guard behind her huffed and pressed his hand to his ear clearly listening into someone on his earpiece Darcy rolled her eyes ‘Very inconspicuous’. The man in front who seemed to be in charge pointed to the left and pulled his second in command to his side, he pulled his hand up to his face and talked into his wrist.

Darcy strained her enhanced hearing and listened in, “we’re taking them to the holding cell in the south side, they aren’t finished in the cleansing room yet.” She ground her teeth at the thought of what the cleansing room was, there was no doubt in her mind that it would be something like the “Shower” rooms at the red room.

They carried on walking, passing by two more doors until they came upon a corridor branching off to the left. They followed for what must have been around 27 minutes slowly sloping downwards, when they walked past a door with a loud electrical humming emanating from it. ‘Bingo!’ she thought having found the room she would need later. They kept going for a further ten minutes before they were marched into a large room.

It was as bare and cold as a prison cell (well that’s what it is) water dripping down the walls. They were all hustled in; two guards followed them in shutting the door behind them, leaving one of them to guard the door.

The two guards pushed the women into sitting positions and started to tie up the women’s feet (leaving their weapons by the door out of reach). They came to the young woman whom Darcy gave her knife to, turning their backs to Darcy. She lightly coughed which caught her attention and then she winked and gestured to her wrists, the girl blinked her big hazel green eyes owlishly and then inclined her head in a slight nod.

Darcy clambered to her feet and rushed at the two guards who had turned around, she kicked lightly at their knees and legs pathetically avoiding their blows trying to give the hazel eyed girl enough time to get her knife out and attract the attention of the guard outside.

One of the guards caught her in the face splitting her lip open she stepped backwards pretending that the force had knocked her backwards. The other guard caught her in the ribs with his foot which sent her careening into the wall behind her.

She saw the girl having trouble getting the knife out of her jacket so she slipped down onto the floor, hoping that the quick tempers of the guards had been aggravated.

It had.

The guards boot connected with Darcy’s side crashing down repeatedly on top of her ribs.

_Crack!_

_Oomph_! Darcy’s breath escaped her lungs in a burst; she heard the collective inhale and whimpers of the other women. ‘Fuck, that’s broken’ she thought absent-mindedly, looking up from her cowering position on the floor. The glint of polished silver caught her eye and she slowly pulled her legs up to her chest against the screaming from her ribs which she shoved to the back of her mind.

“You’re going to wish you didn't do that.” She seethed in a menacing tone in Russian.

The guards stepped in closer to her.

She gritted her teeth and swung her legs out in a kicking motion, catching the guards in the ankles and landing them on their asses. She brought her legs back up and flung them forwards landing with her knees bent which had started bleeding again. She snapped the zip ties from her wrists, quickly she delivered knock out blows to the guards, watching their limp bodies slump on the floor.

She took the proffered knife from the hazel eyed girl and stood to the left hand side of the door waiting for the other guard to come in after hearing the commotion from outside.

3…2…1

The door slammed open and Darcy leapt into action disarming him of his rifle immediately then slashing down with her knife into his collar bone finishing off with a quick jab to the pressure point in his neck he slumped to the floor unconscious. ‘He barely knew what hit him’ she thought wryly.

She pulled the knife out of his collar bone and wiped it down on her white floral skirt, staining the blue roses red. She ripped the gag out of her mouth and threw it on the ground by her feet, she smeared her bleeding lip against the back of her hand leaving a trail of blood on her ring. The blood seeped into the cracks of the black stone.

She quickly went around and removed the bindings and gags from the women in the room, two of the women clung onto each other for dear life the smaller one burying herself in the other ones hair, on closer inspection they held a close resemblance, ‘Getting sloppy they’re obviously sisters’.

Lastly she knelt down next to the hazel eyed girl and cut away her bindings around her feet and hands, carefully she lifted the gag from around her mouth. What happened next she was not expecting, the young woman wrapped her in a hug, “thank you.” She whimpered tears dripping down her face. The girl released her and Darcy sat back on her feet. Shivers racked the girls body.

“What’s your name?” Darcy inquired softly.

“It’s Bo.” She whispered back rubbing her wrists where they had been chafed.

Darcy smirked, “Well Bo you have nothing to thank me for yet we aren't out of here. Do you think you could help me?” She asked whilst slipping out of her jacket, draping it around her bare shoulders. Bo shrunk into the warmth emanating from the jacket, the shivers subsided.

Bo nodded her head, “of course.” Darcy’s smirk turned into that of a Cheshire cat “Good I was sent here to help rescue everyone by one of my friends, she’s great. Her and her team are skilled you could say and so am I , they should be arriving here soon to commandeer the compound. Before that I need to get to the monitor room and shut down the security system. To do that I need to get out of here and get there unnoticed. I need you to guard this door for me okay?” Darcy explained in one big go whilst kneeling by one of the unconscious guards stripping him of his jacket and earpiece, slipping it into her ear she tuned it into the right frequency.

“Okay.” Bo replied kneeling next to Darcy and helping her strip the guards. Bo pulled out a wad of zip ties from the guard’s pocket.

“I’ll help you tie them up then I have to go.” Darcy said whilst pulling the jacket over her shoulders. Between all of the women they managed to strip the guards of their weapons, jackets and earpieces tie all of them up and gag them in under ten minutes.

“Take this gun, keep it pointed at the door if anyone tries to come in and they look like this-” she pointed at the guards on the floor “Don’t be afraid to shoot them, aim for their chests, they’re wearing bulletproof vests but shooting them will hurt like hell and knock them over. My friend’s people will most likely not have guns, they tend to favour old fashioned weapons” She smirked thinking of Isra’s Katanas.

She cracked her knuckles and slipped her knife up her sleeve. She turned around to leave, waving but Bo grabbed onto her arm “What’s your name?” she asked sheepishly.

“That’s a loaded question,” she muttered under her breath “you can call me Shay.” she replied before waving her hand and leaving the room.

\----------------------------------------------------------

She slipped silently down the corridors her feet patting the floor quietly in a jog, her head was down and the collar of her jacket was up in an attempt to hide her facial features not that it would help any. She had been going for seven minutes making her way up the levels to get to the room she wanted when she heard the sound of footsteps (1 set) ahead around the corner that was 50 metres ahead of her.

Looking around she saw that she had nowhere to hide. ‘Guess it’s going to be the harder way then’. She slipped the knife from her sleeve and set off at a sprint. Reaching the corner she ran straight at the wall ahead of her and planted her feet on the wall pushing off she twisted and landed on the guards shoulders tackling him to the ground. He let out a squawk and Darcy silenced it by driving the heel of her palm into the guard’s nose knocking him out.

She pulled his body to the side deciding to leave him where he was. She made her way to the computer room at double speed not liking her chances of encountering another guard.

She stopped just on the outskirt of the span of the cameras on the door. She leant against the wall behind her and pulled her knife out. She lined up her shot with the wires attaching the camera opposite the door to the wall. She pulled her arm back, breathed in and let her knife loose.

_Clang!_

It sliced through wires and fell to the concrete floor below. Darcy walked to the other side of the corridor and stalked down the wall, again stopping just where the camera span ended. She took of the guard’s jacket that was on top her leather one and threw it over the camera in front of her hooking it over the lens.

She picked up her knife and stood waiting in front of the door twizzling the knife in her fingers distractedly. She heard the commotion from inside as they realised that both of the cameras outside the room where no longer operational. The guards threw the door open and stood there shocked blinking at the site of a petite blonde woman in a floral dress playing with a knife.

“Hey boys! Gonna come and catch me?” She asked flirtatiously with a smile on her face before spinning into action. She kicked the closest one to her in the solar plexus sending him barrelling into the other one; she released a flurry of punches incapacitating them and pushing them back into the room they came from. She whipped her foot across one of their faces their neck whipped sideways and he fell to the floor. Grabbing the other guard she pulled him into a chokehold lifting herself off of the floor, his face went red and he struggled violently but also helplessly. He slumped to the floor landing on top of the other guard.

Darcy climbed off of him and wiped her hands down on her skirt before heading towards the monitor desk. She sat down in the seat and quickly got to work shutting down the security systems at the borders of the compound so that Isra and her mercenaries would be able to get in.

She looked at the cameras on the outside of the building, she could see nothing but the darkness but she knew that they would be there waiting. ‘They don’t call them the chameleons for nothing’ she mused, her lips twisting into a smirk. She hacked into the lighting system and flashed the outside lights in the signal Isra and her always used.

Nothing happened.

“Where are you Isra?” she wondered repeating the signal.

Nothing happened again.

“How the hell am I supposed to talk to you in Isra, it’s not as if I have a… comm link.” She said slowly coming to a realisation. She ripped the ring off of her finger, grabbed one of the guard’s radios and took the earpiece out of her ear; grabbing her knife she used the sharp point to lift the back off of the radio. She used the computer to back-trace the signal of where the ring was transmitting to. She synced the earpiece into the frequency she was tracking then using the radio’s transmitter she listened into the frequency.

“…GO GO GO… signal go …Shadow’s in there already.” She heard the crackle of Isra’s voice over the radio.

Picking up the radio she broadcasted a message. “Luna I’m on the air waves do you copy? Luna do you copy?” She asked a worrying tone entering into her voice.

“….Shadow….are you?... your location” She adjusted the frequency of her ear piece “where are you? Where are the women being kept?” Isra’s voice filtered into her earpiece smoothly now.

“I’m in the south of the building about 30 feet below ground level, the compounds been built right into the rock of the mountain.” She replied bringing up a map of the compound on the monitor’s in front of her. “They keep the women who are ready to be shipped out in holding cells in the north side of the building, the cleansing rooms where they prepare the women are in the east of the building and the group of women I was brought in with have barricaded themselves in the holding room they were put into in the south of the building near me.” She pulled up the security footage of the main entrance; she saw Isra and some of her mercenaries in the middle of a brawl. Isra cleanly swinging her blades through the air catching guards, it looked just like a gymnast with a ribbon only with a lot more blood.

“How do I get to the rooms?” Isra asked barely sounding out of breath even during the fight.

“To go north carry the corridor straight on it will slope upwards towards the mountain, going east go north until you come upon a set of stairs on your right, and to go south carry on and take the first left carry the corridor down.” She relayed whilst downloading all of the data off of the monitors onto a USB drive which she tucked into her bra. She put her earpiece in and put her ring on, she grabbed one of the collar mics from a guard and synced it to the right frequency and slipped onto her dress neckline.

“Me and my team will head North, Scorpion take your team to the East and once you’re done there go and grab the women Shadow was brought in with. Shadow come and meet me in the North of the building. We’re going to set this building a light once we’re done so no one can salvage any of it.” Isra commanded, “Got it?” Darcy’s noise of affirmation joined the chorus of yesses and got its.

She grabbed the guards’ handguns and slipped them into her jacket and one in the thigh holster that she had taken off of a previous guard. She left the room and set off at a sprint to get to the north side of the building. Her adrenaline was pumping hard enough that there was only a slight amount of discomfort from her ribs but she knew it was going to hurt like hell once they had stopped.

It took her less than fifteen minutes to get to the north side of the building; she took down two guards on the way and had left a hand gun behind. Her muscles were burning in appreciation of the use after hours cramped in a van.

She arrived at the meeting point to find no one there “Isra I’m here, do you copy?” She asked looking around her, ‘Maybe she went straight to the cells’ she thought, jogging onwards she went further up the compound before she came across a door with a bloody hand-print on it.

Her senses were put on edge; she pulled her side arm out of her thigh holster and cautiously opened the door. Her hand grasped the bloody door handle she was about to turn it when something caught her attention in the corner of her eye. She saw a polished blade in the corner of her eye and instinctively rolled out of the way of the blade pulling the knife out of her sleeve brandishing it against her attacker.

“Oh I wouldn't have done that if I were you girlie?” The brute of a man chuckled, he was at least 6 foot 4 and he looked as if he were made out of pure muscle even through his protective clothes. He really didn't need the knife he had to make himself look intimidating. He smirked thinking this fight would be easy and hardly a fight at all.

“You know what I’m kind of glad I did.” Darcy snarked back. He grinned before launching himself at Darcy, she dodged out of the way of the knife in his hand landing a kick to the man’s kidneys which didn't seem to affect him one bit. Darcy tried to sweep his legs out from under him but ended up with the man catching her leg in his massive hands, she kicked the back of his knee with her other foot making him release her foot, she rolled backwards out of his path. They went back and forth like this for whole minutes Darcy getting in a couple of shots the man retaliating by striking back.

Darcy finally managed to get an advantage by climbing onto the man’s back but by that time she had received a black eye and a bloody nose. She squeezed her thighs around his chest and her arms around his neck holding on as tight as she could. He backed them into the wall with so much force Darcy’s legs faltered and the man managed to turn around and hold a knife up to Darcy’s neck. Darcy went limp trying to draw him closer to her.

“Stupid Girl!” He hissed through and broken nose. He pressed himself in closer to Darcy and brought his knife along her face supporting her weight in one hand around her neck. The blade pierced her skin and left a dripping line of blood which pooled in Darcy’s open mouth. She pressed her lips together and sprayed her blood into his eyes.

“You little Bitch!” He cried rapidly blinking his eyes, Darcy used his distraction to her advantage.

She bit hard into his hand, dug her steel toed boots into his kidneys and snapped the wrist that was holding the knife. He immediately dropped her and before he had time to react she had ripped his throat open with his own knife, the spray of blood covered her in a mist of red. He fell on to his knees first and then gravity pulled the rest of him down too.

Darcy stood still this was her first kill in five years. She wiped the knife down on her skirt and picked up her discarded knife. “Nice knife.” She mused flipping it up and down in her hand.

Isra rounded the corner, “You got here early.” She remarked. “I was going to savour executing the head of the ring but it seems you beat me to it.” She smirked.

“Got a bit bored.” Darcy replied hollowly. “Are the charges set?” Darcy questioned snapping out of her daze and walking to Isra.

She smiled “Yes so we should get out of here, all the women are safe with either my team or Scorpions waiting at a safe distance.” She said extending her hand to Darcy.

Darcy took her hand, smirked and set off running pulling her along, her enhanced metabolism was working in her favour now. “By the way, there are some things I should probably tell you when we get out of here.” Darcy exclaimed in between puffs of breath.

Isra smiled tiredly and saluted her as they made their way out of the building.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry for the long wait, my eyes are burning at the moment but I wanted to get this done for the 25th. Happy Holidays I hope you are all having as good of a time as you can, I hope you like the chapter. The length of it will hopefully make up for the length of time I've been away. This chapter is basically laying groundwork fro Darcy's past and some OC characters. I imagine Isra's face claim is Katrina Law (I might have become a bit smitten when watching arrow) and Bo's face claim is a you Kristin Kreuk. All mistakes are mine, I own nothing but my OCs.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry it's been so long! Here you go

Darcy and Isra’s feet pounding the floor and their laboured breaths were the only things to be heard in the building. She wished that she was wearing flat shoes like Isra it would have made it easier for her to sprint for her life. Isra’s steps slowed slightly, Darcy’s steps fell out of sync with hers. She spun her head round to look at her, her eyebrows raised in question.

“Which way is it?” Isra remarked her feet slapping the floor in a jog. Darcy closed her eyes momentarily, her own map of the compound flashing behind her eyes. She pulled Isra’s hand hard and picked up the pace dragging her in the right direction, slamming a stair well open. Isra’s longer legs pumped, Darcy could tell they were running on pure adrenaline alone she didn't have a hyped up metabolism like Darcy.

Darcy pulled Isra up the stairs her ribs screaming in protest but she carried on wanting to get them out of their before they would be blown to pieces. Isra overtook Darcy her longer legs making up the distance and speed. Isra kicked open the door and pushed Darcy through first, her hands gripping the thin layer of leather she was wearing. Isra let go of Darcy’s jacket and grab her hand gripping tightly as she bolted for the tree line, where their getaway vehicle was waiting for them.

The sight of the van in the darkness made Darcy release an unexpected breath, she kept up her pace matching Isra’s over the uneven ground. The bitter winds stung her cuts, luckily her arms were protected. ‘Kind of glad I wore my leather skin now’ She mused, Isra placed her hand over her ear pulled Darcy’s hand tighter.

“We’re here open the doors now!” she shouted, the van started up and the side door was thrown open, it started moving along as Darcy and Isra aligned themselves with the open door. Darcy reached the door first and launched herself in pulling Isra with her. They landed in a pile in the empty back of the van.

“GO, GO, GO!” Darcy shouted hitting the floor with each word.

_Boom!_

The devastatingly loud noise reverberated throughout the van through the open door. Isra flattened her body over Darcy’s shielding her from the blast. The acrid smell of smoke mixed with dust from the rubble filled up her nose, stinging her eyes and cuts.

“You couldn't possibly have made that a little more explosive could you?” She shouted at Isra sarcastically, who was still on top of her. Isra grinned lifting her head up so her manic eyes looked straight into Darcy’s, her eyebrows raised. Darcy laughed, her face scrunched up in pain at the pain in her ribs which was not helped by the added weight of Isra.

Noticing this Isra quickly held herself above Darcy on her fore arms which braced Darcy on each side of her arms, she rolled to the side from this position. Darcy slid herself into a sitting position so she was leant against the walls of the van as Isra pulled the door shut. Her eyes slid shut as she felt around her ribs to see if any were broken. She was extremely lucky.

“Are you okay? What injuries do you have?” Isra asked as she knelt in front of Darcy, it always amazed her at how much Darcy could endure. Darcy’s eyes and mouth stayed shut. “Talk to me Shay.” She asked in a quieter voice her hand cupping Darcy’s right cheek, the one without the cut.

Darcy’s eyes snapped open as if she were not really paying attention to what was previously said. One side of her lips quirked upwards. “It’s not that bad; bloodied knees, split lip, black eye, bloody nose, a cut from my eyebrow to chin and finally 3 cracked ribs possibly a broken bottom rib but I’m not sure.” She said a slight lilt to her voice as if she was still contemplating it.

Isra’s eyes widened but before she could open her mouth Darcy leant forward and pressed her hand over Isra’s soft lips. “I’ll be fine. I promise, no lasting damage, we can sort out my injuries later. After we reach the rest of the women.” Isra slid next to Darcy leaning her back against the van wall as it made its way to the temporary base.

“It’s not as if it’s the worst I’ve been through.” Darcy muttered dryly, her head leant against the van wall. Isra snorted trying to conceal her slight amusement. Darcy turned her head and lifted her eyebrow up. Isra knocked her shoulder against Darcy’s and she huffed out a laugh.

“Now I know there was a reason I missed you I just can’t quite think of it at the moment. I don’t think it was that you laughed at my pain” Darcy said in fake annoyance.

Isra just smiled in defiance “It’s my undeniable charm, wit and obsession with Katana’s.” She grinned leaning forward to remove said weapons from her back. She placed the four foot blades over hers and Darcy’s legs. The sticky blood coated her already ruined skirt.

“Of course, that’s it.” She replied clicking her fingers her lips turning up in a small smirk, Isra grinned in reply before pulling out a cloth from one of the pockets on her navy blue utility belt.

She pulled out another and gave it to Darcy. She sighed happily and lifted the end of one blade carefully in her slim pale fingers. “I remember when we came back from our first mission together and you just sat in the weapons room for three hours straight, just cleaning down your weapons a satisfied smirk on your face, it was the first time I’d seen you show some emotion that was positive since I’d found you.” Isra recounted as she began wiping the cloth down her blood covered sword.

Darcy’s eyes glimmered with wonder at the weapons; she had always admired the magnificent blades that Isra had hand crafted. Darcy hummed and joined Isra in the action, waiting till they got to the meeting point. Cleaning weapons had always given Darcy peace of mind – a trait instilled by the red room - and when she came back from her first mission with Isra she spent her time cleaning the various weapons she had been allowed to use, the weapons armoury soon became one of Darcy’s favourite rooms after that night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi sorry i've been away so long but here is the next part of the story sorry it's so short as well. I've been really busy with school lately so I haven't had much time to write and my motivation to write is lacking. The next chapter will have more of Darcy's back story. Also all of you should watch Agent Carter I may add in little bits of information from the show into this about the red room.


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inside apostrophe's are thoughts.  
> All mistakes are mine.  
> Disclaimer: I do not own any of the marvel characters the only ones that are mine are my OC's.

The ride ended an hour later and Isra lithely got up from her spot on the floor before offering her hand to the more injured Darcy. She muttered her thanks before following Isra out of the van. She landed on the even ground of the concrete parking lot that they had pulled up in. The cold wind buffeted her skin.

She scanned her surroundings, they were in a parking lot next to an abandoned building of some sorts with the mountains looming over them from the west. There were a variety of trucks and vans in the parking lot along with a black sedan. ‘This must be the meeting point’.

Darcy followed Isra over to the closest truck where she pulled open the passenger side door. The driver slid out of his side of the van at the same time as the passenger. They were both part of Isra’s group, Darcy recognised the passenger’s face immediately. Scorpion. Isra’s back straightened up.

“What’s your team’s status? Does anyone need any immediate medical attention?” Isra commanded in one breath, her body language that of a leader. Darcy stood with her arms crossed loosely over her injured ribs next to Isra.

“We all got out of there intact, some of the women need medical attention but it is mainly dehydration, malnutrition and starvation that we've come across so far, but I don’t doubt there will be worse.” Scorpion replied whilst walking to the back of the van. Isra followed intently, Darcy kept one step behind Isra. She wanted to talk to Scorpion but the time for reunions would be later. Isra pulled open the back of the van slowly so as not to scare the women inside more than necessary.

The women cowered away but when they recognised who they were they visibly relaxed. “Get them out of the van and into the building out of the wind, tend to the injuries you can, get them food and drink, let them have a rest before we move them again. Tell the rest of your team to do the same Shadow and I will get the rest of the medical supplies and meet you in there.” Isra told Scorpion as she turned to leave.

Scorpion nodded her head sharply before turning to the women in the van, she caught Darcy’s eye and stopped slightly as if she hadn't noticed her being there until now before she tipped her head at Darcy and started helping the women out of the van. Darcy’s lips quirked slightly in acknowledgement before she followed after Isra.

Darcy jogged slightly after Isra who had managed to get halfway towards the black sedan. She could hear Scorpion shouting her orders to her team. “I see Scorpion has her own team now.” Darcy asked the strangely quiet Isra. “that’s new.” She added as they made it to the car. Isra went to open one of her pockets on her belt, seemingly ignoring Darcy.

“Are you okay Isra?” Darcy asked from her spot a foot behind Isra. She didn't answer Darcy’s question. ‘She’s acting like Jane in her science mood’ she mused. Perplexed Darcy quickly slid between Isra and the car. “Are you okay?” She asked again, slightly quieter, catching Isra’s eyes.

“Yes of course I am why did you ask?” She replied too loudly, Darcy’s eyes widened in slight surprise before she half smirked knowing where Isra’s eye line was. Isra frowned slightly her eyes quickly flicking up to Darcy’s eyes.Knowing she was right Darcy leant forward and pulled down Isra’s thick hood.

“You can’t hear me that well can you?” Darcy asked now leaning her back against the sedan, the smirk still on her face. She still had a slight ringing in her ears but she could still hear what people were saying clearly, that was another perk of her enhanced metabolism.

Isra raised her eyebrows up in shock which Darcy could clearly tell was faked; she pulled her eyebrow up in retaliation. Isra’s eyebrows fell before she rolled her eyes. “Fine I can’t hear that well but I’ll be able to within the hour.” She conceded her eyes looking into Darcy’s. “Which will mean that I will be able to hear the important thing that you wanted to tell me.” Isra said a small smile on her face before she turned around and walked to the back of the black sedan, leaving her where she stood.

Darcy clenched her teeth momentarily before following after Isra. She waited as Isra pulled the boot of the car open. Darcy pulled out the black duffel that she knew contained the first aid kit, she noticed that all her things were also in the boot of the car waiting for when they left later.

“I've got some food and water in the back-seats which I’ll grab, meet me in the building.” Isra said as she walked round the car to the doors as Darcy slung the duffel over her aching shoulders. She jogged over the parking lot to get to the building and out of the biting wind, she swung open the door to the building and she was washed over with the warmth coming from the middle of the room where one of the mercenaries had set up a controlled fire to keep everybody warm.

She walked over to a free corner of the room and placed the duffel down. She sat cross legged on the dusty floor next to the tucking the rip in her dress into the waistband of her underwear. She released a breath as the tension in her legs eased away. She pulled up her sleeves on her leather jacket absent-mindedly scratching at the surgically neat two inch scar running up from her wrist.

She pulled out a plastic sheet from the duffel bag and laid it out on the dusty concrete floor; she quickly unloaded everything from within the duffel bag ready for use. She reached in the back to check if there was anything else, she pulled out a packet of energy gels. Quickly she got to her feet and walked over to one of the nearest mercenaries.

“Here, give these to anyone who looks as if they haven’t eaten and drunk anything in a couple of days.” She commanded handing the packet over before going back to her corner. Isra walked in just as Darcy sat back down followed by what looked to be the last lot of women and Scorpion.

She stopped by the mercenary who was guarding the door and told him something, Darcy focused her eyes and read her lips. “Find anyone with injuries, if they are severe send them over to Shadow if they are just cuts and bruises grab some supplies from Shadow and treat them. Tell the women to find Scorpion for food.” Isra made her way over to Darcy, she was favouring her right leg which would have been missed by most people but Darcy had seen and caused enough injuries to recognise someone in pain. Darcy scowled before shaking her head. ‘She probably just has more bruises on that side’

Isra stopped next to Darcy’s space on the floor. “I told them to-”

“I know what you said I read your lips.” Darcy interrupted saving Isra from repeating herself. “are you OK?” she asked her voice full of sympathy which mirrored her pulled together eyebrows and slight pout, she knew that with Isra’s caring nature she wouldn't want to lie to her if she thought she was worried. She just hoped that would overcome her need to make sure everyone else was okay. ‘Hah I doubt that!’ She thought.

“I’ll be OK and you can tend my wounds later Shay, when we get to the safe house, if it pleases you.” She replied trying to put Darcy at ease which she easily saw through, dismissing her stubbornness she stood up as she saw a small group of women being led toward her.

“I’ll think about it.” She smiled wryly “Go help the rest of the women.” She said as she pulled on some latex gloves. Isra nodded touching her upper shoulder before she turned around and left Darcy as a small queue of women formed in front of her.

Darcy tended the wounds of the women ranging from bullet grazes to stab wounds to concussions. She kept her comforting face in place to sooth the women’s’ frayed nerves so they knew they were no longer in danger.

* * *

“Keep the dressing on for two days, make sure to wrap it up before you wash and change it every two days, this cream should stop it from becoming infected.” Darcy spoke softly as he wrapped the bandage around the bullet graze she just sewed up. The young woman thanked her, a thankful smile pulling at her lips her eyes were glassy. Darcy placed the tube of cream into her hand before she quickly scurried off to the group of women she was brought in with.

Darcy wiped her hand across her brow and released a breath, her cheek still stung from the cut but the blood had stopped running now, it just left a path of dried blood down her chin and neck. Isra walked over to Darcy carrying a bowl of some type of food, Darcy could see the warmth rising from it. She packed away the first aid equipment quickly into the duffel bag it came in. Isra slid down the wall she ended up sat next to Darcy. She passed over the bowl to Darcy who took it happily, the last time she had eaten was well over eighteen hours ago and her body was in need of some energy.

Darcy was about to dig in when she realised she had nothing to eat it with. She turned a glare towards Isra who was smiling ruefully as she held out a spoon for the polenta. Darcy took it probably using more force than necessary. “Were you never told it’s rude to withhold food from an assassin?” She muttered as she shovelled the food into her mouth, which she finished in record time.

Isra smiled as she bumped her shoulder with Darcy’s before slowly standing up, “You said you wanted to talk to Scorpion before you left.” Isra said as she stretched her hands out in front of her. Darcy nodded and stood up herself. “I’ll leave you to that then; I need to talk to some of my team as well before we leave.” Isra replied before walking away.

Darcy spotted Scorpion sat by the fire in the centre of the room. She made her way over there carrying the duffel bag with her and slowly sat down next to Scorpion where she was clearing away the cooking pots she used. Scorpion looked at her out of the corner of her eye. “Can I help you?” she questioned.

Darcy sighed and helped Scorpion clean the pots. “I wanted to congratulate you on your promotion. I never liked your predecessor.” She said, Scorpion stopped in her tracks.

“Yes, it was only a matter of time before he gave me a reason to end him.” Scorpion replied in a nonchalant tone. There was always something off-putting about him, he never cared about collateral damage. She was glad that Scorpion had taken him out, she smiled.

“Well I know that you will be a better leader than him.” She agreed, putting the pot down. “It was good to see you again.” She stood up as did Scorpion.

“Likewise.” She replied patting Darcy’s shoulder. ‘Same old Scorpion, never one to really use her words.’ She mused with a wry smile.

She wandered over to where Isra was stood but before she could make it there she was ambushed by Bo. She stopped as Bo intercepted her path, the younger woman was smiling warmly even through her bruises. The warmth from her face seeping into her own without her knowledge.

“Are you leaving?” She asked quickly her eyes bright and almost sparkling. Darcy’s lips tilted up.

“Yes, I have to get back to my normal life. I can make sure that someone helps you get back to your family or your home.” She said assuming that she would still be living with her family or at least near them. Bo’s face fell slightly.

“My… uh…I don’t have a family, my parents died when I was younger and I have nowhere to go. I was living on the streets when they picked me up.” She spoke a slight quiver in her voice, a haunted look in her eyes. Darcy’s smile fell as well. ‘No this is totally a bad idea; it’s going to end horribly’. Darcy thought to herself at the idea that sprouted in her head.

“You know, you remind me of this woman who saved my family when I was younger. She stopped us from being robbed. I don’t really remember it that well I was about three but the thought that there are people out there in the world who help people when they have no reason to… well it stuck with me. I can tell that you are one of those people.” She stated, ‘aw hell, this really is a bad idea!’ She thought knowing that she was still going to do it anyway.

“I can talk to my friend about finding a place for you as part of her team or finding you somewhere safe to stay, but I’m warning you know if you decide to stay with her you may have to do some things that you won’t want to do.” She stated keeping eye contact with Bo. She smiled lightly.

“Thank you!” She smiled as she darted into Darcy’s personal space and wrapped her lithe arms around Darcy. She froze, but strange warmth travelled through her body at the touch and she melted into the embrace, her muscles relaxing. “You’re a good person Shay, I can tell. You might not think so but deep down in your soul you are I can sense it.” Bo spoke her breath warming Darcy’s ear.

She repressed a scoff, ‘Yeah right, a good person would never do the things I've done.’ Bo loosened her arms from Darcy, the warmth still in her body. Bo’s eyes were almost glowing but as soon as Darcy blinked they were back to normal. “Thank you, again, I hope one day you can see what I do.” Bo said a smile on her lips, she grabbed Darcy’s fingers and a strange tingling sensation shot through her body.

Darcy smiled; she could tell that Bo was kind-hearted even though she had only met the girl in the past twenty-four hours. Isra sidled up next to Darcy, “this is my friend I was talking about earlier Bo, her name’s Isra.” Darcy introduced her. Isra smiled politely and extended her hand which Bo took happily.

“We should be going Shay.” Isra said turning her attention to Darcy as she dropped Bo’s hand.

“Right. I’ll meet you in the car, I’ll be a minute.” Darcy said as she placed her hand on Isra’s arm, Isra nodded before she left the building.

She grabbed a pen from the first aid duffel bag and fished out one of the empty dressing wrappings, she scrawled her secure number onto the back of it. “Here, if you ever need help don’t hesitate to phone me. I ask that you use this in emergencies only though and that you don’t give it to anyone or tell them that you have it apart from Isra.” She passed it to a wide eyed Bo, it was a big act of trust for someone she had only just met but Darcy felt as if Bo was trustworthy. ‘This is so going to blow up in my face!’ She mused sardonically. “Keep the jacket.”

She said before picking up the duffel bag and leaving the building. She hurried over to the black sedan and chucked the bag into the boot of the car before climbing into the passenger side of the car. Isra smirked and pulled out of the car park. She waited until they were ten minutes into the drive before speaking. If Darcy didn't know Isra she might have been worried.

“So what was it you wanted to tell me?” She questioned the smirk evident in her voice. Darcy’s body tensed slightly. ‘Not here, the exits aren't desirable, it’s too dangerous.’ A sense of foreboding crept unwelcomely into Darcy’s system.

“Not here, I’ll tell you when we get to the safe house.” She replied hollowly. Isra sensed her hostility and backed away from the subject she knew that if Darcy wanted to tell her when they were stationary that the subject may be heavier than she originally thought. Isra kept driving; her eyes back onto the road, her hands gripping the steering wheel tightly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again, I hope you liked the chapter the next one will be up soon because over the weekend I had a big writing kick. Any comments will be definitely appreciated, if you have any questions I'll be happy to answer them. The red room will be featured in the next chapter and hopefully there will be a Winter Soldier appearance in the one afterwards. Also is anyone looking forward to the new episode of Agents of SHIELD?.


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry it's been so long, hopefully the length will make up for the long absence.  
> As always inside apostrophe's are thoughts and italics are flashbacks. All mistakes are mine. 
> 
> Trigger warning for non consensual drug use and hallucinations.

They arrived two hours later outside a seemingly abandoned small house, the windows where boarded up from the outside and the door looked to be as well. She stopped Isra from getting out of the car grabbing her shoulder. Isra turned to look at her. “I just have one favour to ask before we go inside.”

Isra nodded her head Darcy took a breath “Bo has no family or anywhere to go, before the ring picked her up she was homeless. Could you possibly find somewhere safe for her to stay or maybe you could find some place on your team that she could fill. She’s gone through a lot in her short years from what I can tell and she is still strong. She may benefit from having a place in something.” Darcy explained to her. Isra’s face softened.

“Always helping people Shay.” She mused “I think something along those lines could be arranged.” She smiled and left the car wincing as she stood up. She shut the door and left Darcy alone in the car.

“Yeah, you won’t be thinking that for long.” She whispered before she got out the car herself and helped Isra carry their things into the house. She grabbed the first aid kit as well.

She followed Isra around the back of the house, she pushed aside the wooden covering to the back-door and put her things down grabbing her lock picking tools out of her utility belt before getting to work on the door. It took her less than a minute before the silent early morning air was filled with a satisfying click. The door swung open and Isra took one step into the threshold before quickly typing in a code onto the keypad on the left wall.

They carried their things into the house and Isra lead them upstairs to the only bedroom dumping their things onto the floor near the large double bed. She stretched like a cat her back clicking loudly. Darcy shucked off her boots happily, she let out a sigh of relief as her bare feet touched the smooth wooden flooring of the bedroom. Isra placed her hands on her hips and raised her eyebrows at Darcy’s little display.

Isra folded her arms over her chest and Darcy’s eyes were drawn to the reddish tint on the fingers of her left hand. She stalked over to Isra and took her hand in hers “Isra you’re bleeding.” She stated worriedly, “You said it wasn't that bad.” Darcy dropped to her knees in front of Isra, she felt around her right upper leg looking for the source of the bleeding. Isra tutted but hissed when Darcy’s fingers found the wound, the cut went from just under her right hip and down some of her thigh. She couldn't tell the full extent of the wound whilst Isra was still in her suit.

“Strip” She commanded as she got up from her knees and grabbed the first aid bag before shuffling Isra into the en suite bathroom. Isra huffed a mixture between a growl and a laugh “It’s been a long time since you last told me to do that.” Her voice lilting flirtatiously.

Darcy rolled her eyes then raised her eyebrows impatiently tapping her foot. “Fine” She growled unbuckling the latches on her utility belt letting it drop to the floor before she started working on the buckles on her top. Darcy laid out the suture kit and bandages around the edges of the sink before washing her hands thoroughly. The jacket quickly fell to the floor joining the utility belt. Leaving Isra stood there in her black sports bra, her toned and scarred body showing.

Isra set out on removing her trousers only to cry out in pain as the trousers pulled at the raw skin at the top of the cut, blood sticking the material to her injured leg. Isra bit down on her lip to keep her cries of pain in. Darcy walked over and stood in front of Isra. “This is what you get when you leave the injury long enough for the blood to clot.” She reprimanded and Isra let out a pained laugh the adrenaline high she had been riding on the past few hours leaving her suddenly.

“What about your cut?” She questioned her hand gripping onto the basin around the sink for support.

“I heal fast.” Darcy deadpanned, “hold onto the basin with both hands and I’ll pull your trousers off, I’ll have to do it fast, like ripping off a band-aid.” She explained as Isra moved round so she could grip the basin with both hands.

Darcy knelt behind Isra and slipped her slim hands into the waistband of Isra’s trousers easing it down until it was at the top of the cut. “Okay on the count of three. One… Two-” She yanked pulling the band down as Isra cried out in surprise and pain. Her knuckles where white with the strain she was putting onto the basin of the sink.

Darcy stood up and smiled, “There now that wasn't so hard was it?” she asked sarcastically. Isra glared at her, Darcy repressed her laugh, but took her help in perching on the top of the basin so Darcy could have full access to the cut on her leg. She grabbed the antiseptic wipes from the basin and set about cleaning up the mess of blood on the tender skin of Isra’s leg, she swiped away the blood leaving the clean line of the six inch long cut on her leg. Darcy carefully pressed her fingers into the cut to see how deep it is.

Isra whimpered in pain. Darcy glanced up apologetically; the cut deep enough to warrant sutures.

She reached up to grab the needle and thread but before she does she asks “Do you want an anaesthetic?” Isra just shakes her head, Darcy mutters “Alright then.”

She set about the task of stitching Isra up, making sure to keep the stitches neat and even. Isra’s muscles twitching with the lack of adrenaline and energy.

“Do you want to talk now?” She questioned her voice tinged with exhaustion. Darcy stopped but slowly nodded her head finishing up the sutures; she cut the thread and put the needle down. She picked up the cream and smoothed a layer over the cut; she pressed a dressing over the damaged area before she wrapped the bandage around Isra’s leg.

“I just want to say first that I’m sorry I didn't tell you before but I couldn't find it in me to tell you. I… uh … it was just nice not having to follow someone’s orders for once in my life.” She looked down; she stood up and shook off her own jacket. She closed the lid of the toilet and sat down on top of it whilst Isra grabbed a stool from the corner of the room and sat down carefully in front of her.

She focused her eyes on a spot over Isra’s shoulder. “I was born in Russia a long time ago, I have no idea when but it was at least forty years ago, most likely longer. I was put into an orphanage but that doesn't really matter. Everything started when I was four years old. Our orphanage was attacked in the middle of the night and this group of masked men kidnapped a bunch of us including me. They took us to some strange place.” Isra frowned and grabbed Darcy’s hand reassuringly. Darcy ignored the contact and carried on.

“They put us into a sort of bunk room after taking our blood, I cried my eyes out I was so scared of what else they were going to do to me.” She took in a deep breath. “A girl from the bed next to mine slipped out of her bed, she was about a year or so older than me, she was already in the room when we got there. She told me not to show any emotion at all otherwise they’d use it against me. Her name was Natalia.” Isra squeezed her hand, Darcy looked up to meet her eyes momentarily braking out of her trance.

“There are so many people whose lives I've taken away, I don’t even know how many, but most of them were when I was with them. Sometimes I just wish I could remember their faces. ” All she could remember was that there was an oceans worth of blood on her hands.

Isra leant back away from Darcy, she couldn't tell whether it was from shock, disgust or something else. “Who were they? The people who took you.” Isra asked calmly looking down.

Darcy blinked a couple of times to remove the moisture from her eyes and she straightened up her back, steeling her voice she carries on.“Have you heard of the Black Widow?” Darcy asked trying to keep the venom out of her voice.

“Yes of course I have, she’s one of the avengers.” Isra replied her eyebrows rose in confusion. “Why…why is that important?”

“Well she’s not the original Black widow. Over the past century an organisation called the red room took girls from all over Europe. They trained them to become the perfect spy, assassin their very own collection of deadly weapons. I was one of them.” She let go of Isra’s hand placing her own palms down on her thighs.

“I've done a lot of bad things in my life and most of them were when I was one of the Black Widow operatives, my codename was Bella Donna, my friend Natalia she was their favourite operative. They gave her the title of Black Widow. The only way you can get the title of the Black Widow is to kill the original.” She looked up and caught Isra’s slightly horrified eyes.

“The red room was strict about relationships between their operatives, they looked down upon any form of emotional attachment, and they saw it as a weakness that needs to be eradicated.” Darcy coughed lightly. “I guess that’s where Natalia and I screwed up, we became friends since that first meeting, we thought that we were being discrete and that nobody saw us but we were wrong. They sent another one of their operatives to kill Natalia, she succeeded.”

“Is she the current Black Widow?” Isra asked softly.

“Yes, she took the mantle; she even took Natalia’s name. Part of me wishes her dead, because she doesn't deserve to live because of what she’s done. But she’s doing something good with her life now, something I wish that Natalia would have had the chance to do.” She states her nails digging into her thighs, the hatred for the woman walking around as Natalia would always be there.

Isra eased Darcy’s hands from her legs, leaving half-moon indents on her skin, rubbing her thumbs over Darcy’s sore knuckles. “Was Natalia who you were hallucinating about when I first found you?” Darcy’s eyes snapped up.

“What hallucination?” She asked immediately, she knew that she was missing a giant chunk of her memories but she thought she would at least remember all of her time with Isra.

Isra frowned but carried on, “When I first found you, I remember you looking around all the time, muttering to yourself in Russian always looking to your left. Not to mention you were pumped up with drugs, I assumed that it was a withdrawal symptom from them.” Darcy stayed still, her mind racing, she knew that the red room used drugs to control their operatives and that she was one of them.

That was the main reason she was very particular about what drugs she put into her body but she didn't remember hallucinating anything that wasn't memories. She didn't dare think what the hallucinations were about or when they started.

“Are you okay?” Isra asked.

Darcy blinked and replied. “Yes I’m fine.”

“Let me sort your injuries out so you can shower before coming to bed.” Isra said getting up from her seat to wash her hands.

Darcy removed her jacket quickly letting it drop to the floor; she stood up and tried pulling her ripped dress over her head but stopped when her ribs screamed in protest. She grunted and grabbed the rip in the dress near her hip and pulled it a part, ripping the dress up so she could pull it off her shoulders easily. Her messy blond hair falling her shoulders and purple bra, the ring that Isra gave her resting in between her breasts. She pulled out the gun from her thigh holster and put it on safety leaving it on the side, she unclasped her thigh holster and let it drop.

Isra turned around and looked at Darcy, releasing a hiss she spoke “You weren't joking when you said you might have broken ribs.” Darcy looked down at the almost constant band of purpled mottled bruising that banded around her ribs. Isra walked over and placed her warms hands on Darcy’s ribs gently looking for any breakages. Darcy clenched her firsts and held in a gasp of pain as Isra reached her bottom rib.

“You’ll have to wrap this up once you've showered, there’s nothing much that we can do. But I can definitely clean up your wounds on your face and your knees.” Isra said slowly ushering Darcy to sit back down on the lid of the toilet seat. She obliged on autopilot her mind not focusing on what Isra was doing.

Isra cleaned her wounds with hydrogen peroxide, Darcy had to stop herself from wincing so that Isra could clean the whole cut on her face. She let Isra wipe away the blood on her face and knees.

“The cut just needs gluing but you can do that after your shower. I’ll leave you to it.” Isra spoke softly, her dark orbs lingering on her, before leaving the bathroom to grab Darcy some clothes to change into. Darcy sat there until she heard the soft click of the bathroom door. She quickly shucked off the rest of her clothes, unclasping the necklace and leaving it on the side of the sink, before she climbed into the shower and let the hot water ease her aching body.

She washed her hair thoroughly watching the red tinged water rush down the drain; she then scrubbed away all the accumulated grime and dirt from her body before climbing out of the shower and towelling her sore body dry. She pulled the underwear and pyjama shorts on before grabbing the bandages from around the sink and wrapped them tightly around her ribs making sure that they would set correctly. She buttoned up the oversized plaid shirt over her chest.

She grabbed the tube of glue and a q-tip before sealing her cut, her eyes watching the movement in the mirror above the sink. The bruising around her eye was a dark purple blue colour which stood out against her pale face and hair, her lip was swollen and split.

She braided her hair into two pigtails before leaving the bathroom. She looked at the clock ‘6 o'clock I should take the sofa downstairs I don’t want to hurt her in my sleep’. She saw Isra already laid down on the bed a book in her hands.

“I’m going to take the sofa downstairs, let you have the space to rest your leg.” She said padding her way over to the door. Isra sat up quickly.

“Nonsense, I've shared a bed many times with you before when I’m injured now is no different.” Isra replied swinging her legs out of the bed, she walked over to her bag in the corner of her room. “I even remembered to bring you this, I know that you don’t use them all the time but I thought after what could have happened you might want them.” She said whilst pulling something out of her bag. The glint of silver caught her eye and a wave of recognition coursed through her.

_Handcuffs._

Slowly she moved round to the left hand side of the bed and pulled the covers back before slipping under them. Isra sat down beside her on top of the covers. “Your flight is at five o'clock, I’ll drive you to the airport and you’ll be back at to your normal life in no time.” Isra said in a light tone of voice.

Darcy nodded her thanks and laid her head down on the pillow before lifting her left hand up. Isra clasped the handcuff around her wrist before securing it to the railing above her head. Isra switched off the bedside lamp and got underneath the covers with Darcy.

“Shay?” Isra asked

“Yes.” She replied

“I just want you to know that I’m sorry for the things that you had to go through and I don’t think I’ll ever see you the same again.”

Darcy shifted back thinking that Isra was disgusted with the things she had done, ‘I certainly am.’ she thought closing her eyes.

Isra shifted so her face was inches away from Darcy, she could feel her breath on her face the body heat under the covers. “You’re so much stronger than I ever thought you were.” Darcy released a breath she didn't know she was holding. She opened her eyes to see Isra’s rich dark eyes looking into hers. “Which is hard considering I thought you were strong since I first met you. I knew you were a survivor.” Isra smiled but her eyes had a sad note to them. She kissed the corner of Darcy’s lip on the cut before rolling over.

“Good night.” Darcy whispered, settling down into the pillows.

“Night” Isra replied.

\-----Flash back------

_Natalia was dead._

_A bullet to the head, the blood the same colour as her long red curls._

_That was the only thought that was filtering through Daria’s hazy mind. Daria laid still on her cot her left hand above her head. ‘No she can’t be dead, I don’t believe it. They only showed me pictures, they would have shown me her body if they really wanted me to believe it.’ Daria’s mind stopped in its track. ‘I need to see her body then I can believe it’_

_She grabbed her thumb between her fingers and pulled hard dislocating it. She slipped her hand out of the cuff and silently lowered her feet to the floor, forgoing her boots so she wouldn't make any noise. She snuck over to the door and hid to the side of the door so no one will be able to see her through the window on the door._

_‘Someone’s watching me’ She looked back and saw Yelena looking at her from the corner of the room, she rolled her eyes and closed them again. Daria looked out the window and saw the guard walk past the door._

_Quietly she pried the door open and slipped out of the room. She ran down the corridor towards where she thought the mortuary was. ‘I just need to know’. She reached the door to the mortuary just as she heard footsteps coming round the corner. She yanked the door open and slipped inside the cold room._

_She shivered in the cold before her body adjusted. There were four body shapes lying on the metal tables, the two closest to her were too large to be Natalia so she walked further into the room. ‘Maybe she didn't die’._

_She stalked over to the last two stainless steel slabs ripping back the first sheet she released a breath in relief. She walked around to the other side of the tables and slowly pulled the cloth back. ‘What if she is dead’. She shook her head and pulled it back revealing matted blood red curls._

_‘No ….no …she’s dead.’ She sobbed, her whole body shaking as she ripped the rest of the cover back to reveal her blood covered face, a perfect circle shape in her forehead. She fell to her knees “Natalia, no.” She wept, her hand grabbing Natalia’s where it had fallen off the metal table._

_The doors swung open and guards rushed in. “Hey, you aren't allowed in here.” One of the guards shouted. She scrambled to her feet and rushed at the guard elbowing him in the face. She fought the guards off, using the skills the red room taught her. She attacked with the ferocity of a caged animal._

_A guard in the corner radioed for help, “Sir should we put her down?”_

_“No…sedate her. We have a different procedure we would like to try first.” The static voice of the technician replied._

_The guard snuck up behind Daria as she had one of the guards in a choke-hold. He stabbed the needle into her injecting the sedative drug mixture into her blood stream. She slumped to the floor her head cracking against the floor._

 

 

_‘What the hell?’ She thought her head felt like cotton wool. She felt a cool surface pressed into her cheek, her arms ached as did her eye. She tried to remember what had happened ‘What the hell happened?’ She kept her eyes pressed closed._

_“I died Daria. That’s what happened.” A young voice that Daria instantly recognised whispered in her ear. ‘Natalia’ She snapped her eyes open, no one was there. She was in a small square room with a stainless steel table in the middle of it. She was laid down on the floor, her cheek pressed into the cold floor. She tried to sit up by pulling her arms forward but she just ended up falling onto her face. ‘What?’ She looked down and saw what she was wearing._

_A straight jacket. She snapped her eyes shut again._

_‘It’s OK I’ll be able to find a way out’ she thought to herself trying to get her heart rate down. She pulled in a deep breath. “No you won’t, the red room made the jacket, they’ll know how to keep you in it.” The girl…Natalia said. She pulled her eyes open and repressed a scream as she saw the sight of a young version of Natalia._

_“You’re not real, you’re dead.” She muttered to herself bitterly._

_“And whose fault is that, you said you’d protect me Daria.” Natalia accused standing in front of Daria._

_“I didn't know you were in danger Natalia.” She spoke without realising, she pressed her cracked lips together._

_“Yes you did, you were just too scared. You knew you were too weak to protect me.” Natalia hissed her face inches away from Daria’s. Her blood started rushing through her ears and her breathing became erratic. “No, you’re wrong.” Daria said venom lacing her voice._

_“Then why didn't you save me?” Natalia asked her voice breaking her eyes watering. Daria closed her eyes trying to lower her heart beat._

_“You’re…you’re not real.” Darcy stuttered, closing her eyes and pulling in deep breaths._

_“Yes I am.” She heard Natalia’s normal voice state; she opened her eyes young Natalia wasn't there. She looked around the room again; the only thing she could see was the metal table._

_She leant back against the wall and tucked her feet underneath her. Bracing her feet she pushed herself up onto her feet. She stumbled over to the metal table. She sobbed._

_Natalia’s body was laid out on the table her glassy green eyes wide open._

_“I didn't have to die.”_

_Daria screamed, Natalia’s eyes swivelled over to Daria. She stumbled back against the wall and fell down sobbing and clenched her hands tightly. A sudden pain started in her forearms as if someone was tearing away at it._

\---End of flash back----------------------------------

“Shay, stop. Please.”

Darcy’s arms were stinging in pain. ‘What’s happening?’. Her head felt groggy as if someone had poured liquid in it. She couldn't open her eyes. Her hand tightened.

“SHAY!” Isra shouted but it sounded muffled.

_Thwack!_

Darcy’s eyes flew open in shock at the blinding pain. She looked down to see her right hand wrapped around Isra’s throat. She released her hand and scrambled back away from Isra.

Isra sat up her hand going to her throat as she pulled in deep coughing breaths. Darcy’s hand kept pulling at her cuff. ‘Oh god, oh god, it’s true.’ She thought pulling at her hair, ‘I’m so weak.’

“Isra I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry.” She exclaimed perching at the top of the bed as far away from Isra as she could manage with her hand cuffed to the bed.

“It’s OK, I’m OK Shay.” Isra replied as she knelt on top of the covers, pulling her hand through her hair.

“I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry.” She repeated her eyes darting from side to side to make sure there was no hallucination present.

“Shay calm yourself.” Isra stated trying to capture her attention. Darcy’s breathing became erratic her eyes still roving round the room. “Shay…Darcy!” Isra yelled grabbing hold of Darcy’s face in her calloused palms. Darcy stopped, her eyes latched onto Isra’s.

“Breathe with me OK.” Isra requested. As Isra took her first inhale Darcy mirrored her action.

Once Darcy’s breathing settled down to normal she spoke. “I’m sorry I don’t know what happened, I…uh …I think I was remembering something.” Isra nodded smoothing her hands over Darcy’s shoulder in a soothing gesture but it just seemed to put Darcy more on edge as her shoulders hunched up. Isra lent back and put her hand behind her to grab something.

“Here.” She said passing Darcy the key to the handcuffs to Darcy. She quickly unlocked the handcuffs and high-tailed it into the bathroom quickly shutting the door behind her.

She turned on the cold tap letting the sink fill with the cool water. The sound of the water splashing in the sink grounding her to the present. She looked into the mirror and saw a younger version of herself, her blonde hair in braids just like the way they always used to wear their hair. She pulled her hair ties out and undid her braids before pulling her mass of wavy blonde hair into a high pony tail. ‘There, I look more like me now’ She thought ‘I just need to die my hair brown again, wear my glasses and I’ll be Darcy again.’

She shut the tap off and braced her hands on the edge of the basin. She plunged her head into the cold water holding her breath, she opened her eyes letting the icy water wake her up.

She pulled her face out the water and towelled it dry, she frowned when she saw the red marks on the cream towel. ‘Damn it’ she swiped her finger along her cut and it came back red she sighed before grabbing the glue and leaning into the mirror. The cut looked cleaner but it would still take a day or two to heal, by tomorrow she would only need to put a line of butterfly stitches along it.

She exited the bathroom and saw Isra pulling a fresh set of clothing on. “We have about two hours before we have to leave for your flight, I’m going to head downstairs to make breakfast whilst you get ready.” She stood up and Darcy saw the red marks around her neck that she had caused. Isra caught Darcy’s line of sight and sighed.

“It’s not your fault stop beating yourself up about it.” She huffed.

Darcy raised her eyebrows “I’m the one that beat you up, remember.” She crossed her arms over her chest.

“Details!” Isra waved her worry off. Darcy snorted walking over to her bag of clothes.

“I’ll call my boss, tell her I’ll be back in America tonight.” Darcy smiled slightly, thinking about seeing her loveable scientist again. Isra walked out the room and Darcy put her suitcase on top of the bed and pulled out her clothes for her to get changed into and her wig, before sliding out her phone.

She perched on the bed a bit of a stupid smile on her face, ‘it’s nice to be able to be friends with someone normal - granted that someone normal is banging a Norse god - who knew what she was’.

She unlocked her phone and tapped on Jane’s contact and phoned her. She placed it between her ear and shoulder so she could pull her clothes on whilst talking.

“Hello this is Dr Jane Foster’s phone.” Darcy smiled hearing Thor’s cheery voice. She could hear the background clatter of Jane messing around with some form machinery. She laughed quietly into the phone.

“Hey Thor.” She beamed down the phone whilst pulling off her pyjama shorts and replacing them with a pair of black tights that would cover up her red healing knees.

“Ah Lady Darcy it is nice to hear your voice, how fairs your-” She could hear a soft slapping sound and Thor’s muffled protests. She unbuttoned her plaid Shirt and let it fall to the ground.

“Hey Darcy. When are you getting back?” Jane asked immediately. Darcy smiled as she pulled her bra on being careful of her wrapped up ribs.

“I’ll be back by midnight tonight, it’s a bit screwy with all the time differences. How have you been doing? And what were you doing to that poor machine?” She inquired pulling on her pencil skirt.

“I was just recalibrating it I swear.” Jane replied guiltily, “ I’m fine, Thor took me out to dinner last night to that sushi place you suggested. Are you OK?” She asked rapidly and Darcy knew her hidden meaning.

“I won’t be able to come into work tomorrow, Jet lag, but the day after I should be OK for work. Why don’t you stay over for a girls night tomorrow and we can watch that movie you've been begging me to watch. The maze runner?” She asked knowing that Jane would want visual confirmation of her being OK.

“Sure sounds great, I’ll bring some wine. I missed you, you know. My intern” Jane huffed, Darcy pulled her shirt on.

“I think you mean Babysitter and I missed you too Boss lady. I’ll text you an address where I can pick you up” Darcy smiled into the phone.

“Kay, have a safe flight back.” Jane replied her voice sounding slightly distracted, Darcy could hear a strange whirring in the background.

“I will, oh and I hope you like motorbikes.” She added, buttoning her shirt up.

“What?-” She heard Jane question as she hung up the phone. She quickly sent off a text with her address in before finishing getting changed and covering up as much of her injuries as she could.

She piled her hair on top of her head and donned her disguise of Joan Parsons the busy business woman.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for it taking this long but I hope you like it anyway, the next chapter will have the Winter Soldier in it. Any comments will be really helpful. This is probably not going to be compliant with Avengers age of Ultron if any of the spoilers/rumours are completely true. Please tell me what you think, it really helps!


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Italics are flashbacks. Inside apostrophe's are thoughts.
> 
> Disclaimer I do not own any of the characters apart from my OCs.

Darcy dragged her suitcase downstairs, her black patent Mary-Jane’s clacking on the floor, her blazer hanging off her arm. Isra’s ring was in Darcy’s jacket pocket ready to give back to her. She dumped her bags by the door to the kitchen before making her way over to the old wooden kitchen table; sitting down on the cushioned seat she turned her gaze to Isra.

Who was at the moment dancing around the kitchen to the radio whilst plating up breakfast, even though it was more like lunch time, for the both of them. Darcy smiled at the picture that Isra made, a very deadly assassin dancing around a kitchen in skinny jeans and a plaid shirt whilst cooking omelettes.

“Here you go.” Isra smiled putting a plate down in front of Darcy along with a tall glass of orange juice. Darcy grinned grabbing up her fork and digging into the omelette, Isra sat down opposite her and started in on her own omelette. Darcy restrained herself from moaning out loud at the taste of the omelette, she had forgotten how well that Isra could cook breakfast foods.

“I forgot how much I love your food.” Darcy mumbled through her mouthful before gulping down some orange juice.

“Well I am gifted in the arts of breakfast foods and other things.” Isra smirked before taking a hearty bite of her omelette. “I missed you too.”

Darcy took in a breath. “Maybe this time we should stay in contact. You know especially if you decide to let Bo stay with you.” Darcy added nonchalantly draining her glass of OJ. Standing up she took it over to the sink and washed her dishes. She heard Isra come up behind her passing Darcy her dishes and pecked her on the cheek a cheeky smile on her face. Darcy rolled her eyes, “Well seen as you made breakfast.” she conceded, fake annoyance dripping in her tone.

“Yes we should. What specifically do you want me to do with Bo?” She asked curiously, leaning back against the counter, facing Darcy.

Darcy braced her hands on the sink, she tilted her head to the side in thought ‘What do I want her to do with Bo? Why is she so different than the other girls?’ Darcy opened her mouth to answer “I’m not entirely sure, just try and keep her safe, teach her how to defend herself.” She pulled her hand down her face, harshly breathing out. “There’s just something about her, I feel in my gut that she needs protecting. Please trust me on this even though I know you don’t have any reason to trust me right now.” Darcy pleaded with her eyes.

Isra’s eyes softened along with her voice as she grabbed Darcy’s hand. “Always. I’ll always trust you. You can’t change the past Shay, no one can.” Isra stated dejectedly, her eyes downcast.

“Thank you.” Darcy whispered, her fingers feeling Isra’s pulse point.

“We should get going soon.” Isra said moving away from the counter, Darcy let her fingers drop to her sides. She grabbed her suitcase from the door entrance and followed Isra out to the car after they boarded the house back up. They got into the car in silence and set out for the airport.

\-------------------

The silence had quickly dissolved into Isra catching Darcy up on the things that had happened with the Chameleons since she had left and Darcy trading back stories of Jane, their quiet laughter filling the car. Isra’s smile practically lit up the car, “So Scorpion was supposed to be teaching a few new recruits the day after we got back from our mission in Italy but of course on the way back we had to indulge in some of the local wine that our buyer had raved on and on about, just to see if he was bullshitting us was her reason but you and I both know that Scorpion has a soft spot for good European wines. So we bought two crates of this wine and Scorpion was so pissed off about our assignment and ass of a buyer that as soon as we got back she cracked open the crate, ripped out the cork with one of her Shuriken – don’t ask me why she didn't use a corkscrew – and she downed half of this bottle in one gulp. It’s safe to say that wasn't the only bottle consumed that evening.” Isra smirked and Darcy raised her eyebrows. “All right I might have helped her consume a few of those bottles.”

Darcy snorted knowing how well she could hold her alcohol, “Anyway, so the next morning when she woke up she was a little delicate, turns out the wine was a bit stronger than what we thought. She looked like she was about twenty seconds away from stabbing someone when she came into the training room. So she told all of the new recruits to pick up a weapon and all was going well until she reaches the last recruit.” Isra chuckled at the end before composing herself.

“And this guy he just picks up one of the collapsible bo staffs but he just holds it by the middle obviously not realising that it’s collapsible and double ended. Scorpion, she just pinches the bridge of her nose and carries on with what she’s doing. So she goes ‘All right if any of you think you know how to use your weapon attack me now.’” Isra snorted covering her mouth with her hand before whacking her hand back onto the steering wheel.

“She just looks so disappointed and looks down before beckoning him forward, he looked so eager. So he tries and attacks her and she just covers her eyes with her hands as if she doesn't even want to see it and she spins around and kicks the Bo staff with enough force that the other end comes shooting out and it brains him on the nose, blood just pouring out everywhere. Scorpion just walked away and shouted at the rest of the recruits to beat their personal best of the assault course by 20 seconds by the end of the day before heading to the bathroom.” Isra trailed off, her grin turning into a soft smile as she turned into the airport parking lot. Darcy ran her fingers over the ring in her pocket, slowly she slipped it out of her pocket and held it in her palm.

“That does sound like something she’d do.” Darcy mused remembering the time that Scorpion had thrown a shuriken at her and Isra when she caught them making out in the weapons room, suffice to say after that they just stuck to their rooms not wishing to lose parts of their ears permanently. Scorpion’s aim was akin to none that Darcy had ever fought against, not when it came to throwing knives, even Darcy herself was leagues behind Scorpion and her aim was pretty good. She could pick up anything and throw it with precision at a target of almost any distance.

“Ha, I still have a notch in my ear from the weapons room incident.” Isra smiled as she pulled the car to a stop in a space. She shut the car off and undid her seatbelt. Darcy undid hers as well before opening up her palm and picking up the ring by the end of the chain.

“Here’s your ring back, it was nice seeing you again Isra.” Darcy mused pulling Isra’s hand to her lap before placing the ring in her palm. Isra’s dark chocolate eyes radiated warmth into Darcy’s as she looked into them. Her rose lips tilted up at the ends, her long wavy hair framing her face. Darcy leant over to open her car door but she was stopped by Isra holding Darcy’s hand lightly in hers.

“It was. You should keep the ring, as a memory of the good thing that you did. I know that you don’t think that you are doing good things with your life but you are Shay, you saved so many women from having their lives and their humanity destroyed by those scum. Before that when you were working with me…with us you never willingly put innocents in harm’s way and the people that we took out they were usually bad people they would have just created more chaos and evil in the world.” Darcy looked down ‘But those people still had families that cared about them and I just left the bodies to be found by them, regardless of the state they were in.’

“I don’t deserve to be alive for the things that I've done, the crimes that I've committed Isra.” Darcy murmured, she didn't want to die but the list of names she had taken that she knew about weighed heavily on her fragmented soul which was slowly being pulled down by the growing realisation that there was an even longer list containing the names that she had forgotten.

Her anger for the red room was the main reason she had not done anything reckless that would have likely put her on her deathbed, she wished for them to be destroyed so that they could feel the pain that Darcy felt and so that they couldn't inflict it upon another person ever again. When she met Jane she slowly let herself believe that she could feel and care again and express it in whatever way she wanted when she wanted, when she was with the chameleons Isra was the only person she ever let herself truly care and feel for and even then she didn't tend to show how she felt.

“Hey don’t talk like that, I know you Shay, I know that you don’t want to die.” Isra said harshly, she gently pulled Darcy’s head round to face her, She refrained from looking away as she saw the piercing look in Isra’s eyes whose eyebrows were scrunched together in a frown.

“I didn't say that I wanted to die Isra I just said that I shouldn't be alive.” Darcy tensed her hand in Isra’s.

Isra looked down before calmly answering, “Do you want to die Shay?” Isra stared deep into her eyes as if she were trying to see the cerulean irises beneath. Darcy’s breath caught in her throat ‘Do I want to die? I would be with Natalia’.

She tilted her head to side in thought, her mouth opening. “I …I…No. No I don’t want to die Isra. I don’t want to die.” She said, slowly coming to a realisation ‘I don’t want to do that to Jane or Thor or Isra Hell even Bo, I've got too much to live for now’, a small voice in the back of her head whispered ‘That’s the right choice sestra’. She smiled her eyes glistening and she laughed. “I've got too much to live for now Isra.”

“Then why are you crying?” Isra said whilst wiping away an errant tear.

“Because this is the first time since Natalia was alive that I've realised that I have things to live for.” She replied softly, “and Isra you’re one of them.” She beamed.

“You don’t just deserve to be alive Shay, after everything that has happened to you, you deserve a life like the one you wanted Natalia to have. You deserve happiness and dare I say it love if that’s what you want.” Isra smiled like the Cheshire cat and she slipped her hand from Darcy’s face before using both of her hands to curl Darcy’s fingers into her palm. Darcy raised her eyebrow.

“My my you seem to be desperate to give me a ring.” Darcy stated snarkily covering up the voice in her head shouting that ‘love is for children’ and ‘caring is weakness’. Isra huffed and muttered a quiet shut up, Darcy pulled her lips into a thin line to hold in her laugh.

“Well if you are so intent on me having the ring back you’ll just have to keep it until the next time that I see you, hopefully sometime soon, and give it to me then.” Isra replied in her husky accented voice, leaning in closer to Darcy, their faces mere inches apart. Darcy’s eyes subtly dropped to her soft rose lips before returning them to her eyes, by the look on Isra’s face she could tell that she had been caught.

“I suppose that I could fit you into my busy schedule, maybe I’ll even introduce you to Jane and her Norse god of a boyfriend. He calls me his lightening sister.” She smiled chuckling at the thought of Thor meeting Isra.

“I think that would be acceptable, I’m sure we’d hit it off based off of what I've heard, even though I can tell you are leaving a few things out from your story. I’ll let you keep your secrets.” She whispered her breath heating up Darcy’s face. Her eyes were hooded and soft, they slowly fell shut as Darcy leant forward. Her dark eyelashes shadowed on her sharp cheekbones, Darcy took the moment to study Isra’s face. A light spread of freckles dusted her face, her inky hair falling into her eyes, her rose tinted lips were slightly parted.

Darcy closed the distance until her lips were just a few millimetres away from Isra’s. Isra’s breathing had sped up with the anticipation. Darcy released a soft breath across Isra’s lips, “This was one of the things I missed most.” She stated, Isra’s eyes fluttered open as Darcy closed the distance between them. Her broken and split lip was soothed by Isra’s soft compliant lips, Isra’s eyes shut. Isra slid one hand onto Darcy’s face and one on her sore ribs, slowly rubbing soft circles into the sensitive area, the other hand slid onto her face stroking along the cut on her face lightly. Darcy sighed contentedly and slid her hands into Isra’s hair, delicately swiping her thumbs along Isra’s bruised neck.

The kiss was warm and strong a mixture of a welcome and a goodbye. A promise that there are good things in life, things worth fighting and living for. It was different from any of their shared past experiences, more tender but no less passionate.

Isra smiled against Darcy’s lips as she slowly pulled her face back. “I missed it too.” Isra chuckled. “But shouldn't you really be going for your flight soon.” She pointed out as she leant back into her seat. Darcy checked her watch.

“Yeah, here you can contact me at this IP address like how I taught you, then we can arrange for a safe video connection if you want. Please use my phone in emergencies only though.” Darcy replied whilst handing Isra a piece of paper. She hooked the chain with a ring on around her neck.

“Good I missed just being able to talk to you about random things and I’m sure that you’ll want to talk to Bo when her training starts.” Isra smiled. Darcy beamed at Isra’s mention of training Bo, she leant to unlock the door but before she reached it she span around and pulled Isra into a hug, ignoring the pain in her ribs she squeezed Isra tightly before pressing a hard kiss to her cheek. She hopped out of the car and grabbed her things. She didn’t want to stick around for any more of an emotional goodbye. Even if Isra was one of the three people she loved.

\--------------------

Darcy landed at around midnight, she stood up from her seat in coach and cracked her back, she picked up her laptop bag and followed the rest of the people off of the plane. Her high heels clacked against the metal staircase, she blinked her eyes a couple of times to adjust to the darkness before she surveyed the area. She stood at the top of the staircase for a few seconds.

A slight movement behind her made her spin around. Her eyes connected with the hazel eyes of one of the air stewards. Her big hazel eyes widened in surprise as she saw the cut on Darcy’s face, she lightly touched Darcy’s shoulder. “Are you alright ma’am?”

Darcy blinked before she smiled reassuringly “Yes I’m fine, my legs are just a little stiff after the long flight.” The flight attendant looked unassured but nodded anyway. Darcy smiled tightly and made her way down the stairs to the tarmac where a bus was waiting to take them to the airport terminal.

She walked into the airport terminal and followed the line through customs where she smiled tightly and answered all of the questions with a practised ease. Darcy slid the phone out of her blazer pocket on her way to baggage collection.

_Just landed see you tomorrow morning :) – DL_

She tapped out before waiting next to the carousel for her luggage. Her body was running on autopilot waiting for her to get home so she could rest properly in her bed, ‘I’ll need to find my handcuffs and set up my TV and buy some food before Jane comes round.’ She mused but was interrupted by the soft buzzing of her phone.

_Good, hope you get a good night’s sleep I’ll bring food and wine. Missed you ;) – JF_

Darcy snorted at Jane’s message and grabbed her suitcase which had just come round the corner, juggling her phone and laptop bag she used two fingers and her thumb to easily lift up her large heavy suitcase. A little girl who was standing nearby eyes widened and mouth fell open. Darcy smiled at the pure awe on her face and quickly put her phone in her pocket and lifted her finger to her lip. The little girl closed her mouth and nodded, Darcy put down her suitcase and rolled it away leaving the airport.

She unlocked her front door and haphazardly flung her shoes off and she dumped her suitcase and laptop bag next to the sofa before making her way into her training room where she pulled out the pair of handcuffs that she had in her weapons bag. She left the room and headed straight for her bed shucking off her clothes and quickly removing her contact lenses before she climbed under the covers and clasped her hand to the bedpost. She sighed heavily and pressed her face into the pillows.

\-------Flashback-------------

_The blizzard of snow soaked through her clothes to freeze her bones but none of it mattered. The only thing that mattered was the dark haired man in the apartment across the street from the roof she was on. The cold metal of the rifle was a solid presence on her bare dirtied fingertips. “I have the target in my sights waiting for conformation Winter.” she stated into her comm set, her breath turning into fog in front of her._

_“_ _The other targets have been dealt with you have conformation on the hit. I’m going in to retrieve the information and clear up. Make your way to the drop point Nightshade.” The soldier replied over the comm set. Nightshade looked down her sight through her goggles, she waited for the hit to walk into position. He walked over to the window looking out whilst holding a glass of amber liquid._

_Breathe in._

_Squeeze the trigger._

_Breathe out._

_The man dropped where he stood his bloodied face splattering the window. The shot was a quiet bang in the blizzardy night. She got up from her spot where she had been laid still for over 12 hours. She quickly packed her rifle away into the bag making sure to leave no trace on the roof. She left it as if she had never been there to begin with._

_She made her way down the fire escape of the building she made sure to jump down lightly so that her heavy leather boots made no sound on the cold metal grates. She dropped into the ice slicked alleyway and quickly pulled on the long dark green overcoat, which was in the rifle bag, to cover up all of her tactical gear. She tucked her goggles away into the pocket of the coat and undid her French braid, letting the damp dark waves float around her shoulders before she pulled the hood up and left the alleyway._

_She trudged through the busy slushy paths of the busy city her eyes scanning the area for anything out of the ordinary on her way to the drop point._

_She walked into a small café and ordered a black coffee to go. She didn't taste the coffee as she sipped it on the way to the bus stop which was their designated meeting point, she didn't feel the warmth as it soothed her throat, she just mechanically sipped it every 35 feet to make herself look as if she belonged._

_Stopping at the bus stop she waited next to the information table, she used the reflection off the plastic covering to watch people move along the path behind her. She saw a flash of silver and the glint of cold blue eyes, she looked out of the corner of her eyes and saw the soldier waiting for her outside the front of a cinema where he was looking at the cinema times as if he was deciding on a film to watch. Nightshade knew he was looking at her back for conformation to see if she had noticed him. She downed the rest of her coffee nodding her head in an affirmative and she dropped the empty coffee cup in the trash crushing it in her left hand. She walked down the path past the soldier and she carried on until she knew he was following her._

_Making her way towards the train station she stayed in the shadows about 20 feet ahead of the soldier. A flash of red hair caught her attention and she stopped by the side of the path. She surveyed the area looking for familiar red hair but when she didn't see it she crossed the street. ‘Just a hallucination’._

_She carried on walking until she felt a presence approximately 3 feet behind her, she slid her hand under a flap of her coat palming her knife, she slid it up into her sleeve. Stopping outside of a window display she waited to see if the presence would come up behind her or not._

_A cold metal hand clasped around her wrist stopping her from unleashing her knife. “Someone got wind about the hit not being a natural death. It will be safer for us to move together.” She gave an inconceivable nod before turning around. The soldier kept a hold of her hand as he navigated them through the busy streets. He suddenly fell in step next to her and slung his arm around her waist. Nightshade stiffened at the non-violent contact before playing along._

_“Orders just came in, we are to take the next train that is headed north and a rendezvous point will be arranged for us.” He breathed into her face as if he were sharing something intimate._

_Nightshade nodded and carried on walking. The flash of red caught her eye again._

_“We’re being followed, take the next left.” Winter ordered whilst picking up their pace slightly. Nightshade led them into a small side street where she carried on walking till Winter span her around and leant her against the wall. His lips slammed down on to hers silencing her questions, his body shielded her own from view as Nightshade saw a dark brown haired man in clothing which didn't quite match that of the fashion walk by quickly. His lips were pressing but soft, she slipped her hand into his hair covering up his face with her cold palm but he did not move away from the source of the cold, he pressed in closer to her his hot lips bringing unknown warmth to her own. Her cold chapped lips easily split leaving a slightly coppery taste in both of their mouths._

_As soon as the man passed the soldier released her lips but did not move away “Lesson one, public displays of affection always make people uncomfortable.”_

_“If he had truly been following us we could have eliminated him if he had gotten too close.” She replied her voice slightly hoarse._

_“We were ordered not to kill in this instance.” The soldier replied coldly._

\----End of Flashback--------

Darcy woke with a jolt her hand pulling on the handcuff. Her eyes flew about the room, when she saw that there was nothing wrong she took in a few deep breaths. A shiver wracked through her body, her bandages and underwear where sweat soaked and sticking to her body. Her teeth were clattering which was causing a pain in her lip, Darcy brought her free hand up to her lip and it came away smeared with red. She sighed but it was wracked with shivers. She hadn't been this cold since when Isra found her. Darcy shook her head to remove that image and grabbed the key to the handcuffs from her bedside table and unhooked herself.

She slowly slipped out of her large bed, her body screaming in protest and pain. The shivers were becoming stronger which was not helping with the pain in her ribs. “So fucking cold” she muttered under her breath, pushing herself up from the bed she made her way into her bathroom where she turned her shower on and cranked it to the hottest setting.

She unwrapped her sticky bandages and grimaced when she saw the colours of her bruises, they were a striking dark purple which stood out against her pale ivory skin. She walked over to the bathroom stiffly and stood in front of the mirror, she trailed her eyes up her body and took in her bruises and cuts. She winced when she saw the cut on her face, ‘That’s probably going to scar’. Her black eye was a very deep purple with green tinge around the edges. She looked up again and saw about half an inch of dark brown hair peeking out the top of her hair. ‘seems I've brown hair a lot longer than I thought’ she thought slightly hysterically as she tried to pull in deep breaths.

She looked down to her hands and saw the fresh redness around her knuckles of newly healed skin, her hands were shaking not just from the cold but also from the new memories which she was trying so desperately to assimilate with her own. She ripped the necklace off from her neck and pulled off her under wear before jumping into the shower.

The hot water scolded her very sensitive skin and she whimpered in pain but stayed under the spray willing it to warm up her body. She closed her eyes and put her face under the stream. Lifeless blue eyes and a silver metal arm flashed behind her eyes along with images of The Winter Soldier that she had seen in her time at the red room. Her breath caught in her throat and her pulse quickened, she slipped down the wall of her shower sitting in the bottom of the tub. “I worked with him, oh god what have I done? What the hell did I do?” She gasped tears streaming down her face mixing into the relentless water from the shower. ‘If you really wanted to know you’d check the memory chip, but you’re too scared to know about the monster you’ve become.’ Natalia’s voice whispered in the back of her mind.

Darcy froze.

She blinked her eyes a couple of times and swallowed heavily before she slowly got up and stood under the stream of the shower. “I’m not weak.” She muttered to herself. She stood up straighter “I’m not weak and I never will be.” She told herself grabbing her shampoo and setting about cleaning her body.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for reading, any feedback means a lot to me. I'm very excited for Age of Ultron I probably will not be updating this until after Age of Ultron as my exams will be starting very soon and my last one is in mid June, but hopefully I will be able to have another update in between that and this one. On another note has anyone watched Daredevil? If not you should. Have a good time and I hope you all enjoy age of Ultron!


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry this has taken such a long time to update.  
> Italics will now be thoughts and flashbacks/memories/dreams will be in italics and will be sectioned, the thoughts during flashbacks will be in bold.
> 
> Trigger warning for violence.
> 
> All mistakes are mine.

Stepping out of her bedroom she towel dried the ends of her hair, the damp blond hair curling into waves dropping onto her baseball top.

As soon as she got out of the shower she had wrapped her ribs back in bandages, stuck butterfly stitches along her face and grabbed the ring Isra gave to her from the bathroom. She dropped her towel onto her washing pile near the kitchen then checked the clock on her wall.

13:41

Jane would be here around half six. _I need to sort out the guest room and the living room and I should probably restock the kitchen and unpack all of my weapon_ s. Darcy sighed, rolling her eyes and unhooking her necklace and sliding the ring onto her right ring finger.

She grabbed her Ipod and plugged her earphones in, letting the music be the background for her shopping trip. She shoved her feet into her blue converse and pulled a dark red beanie over her damp hair, lastly, she pulled a black hooded jacket on.

She took the elevator down to the ground floor before walking out of the building. She walked to a grocery store about twenty minutes away to give herself time to clear her head and make sure that it was harder for anyone who tried to track her to be able to find where she lived.

She was about five minutes away when she saw a familiar blond head on the other side of the street. She quickly ducked into the nearest alleyway and waited for a minute hopefully for him to walk away.

She stepped back out of the alleyway immediately regretting it as she saw that Steve Rogers had crossed over to her side of the street and was on his phone. _Damn It!_  She pulled her hood up and shoved her hands into her pockets, hunching her shoulders she kept her head down, making her look smaller as she walked straight ahead towards her destination.

“Sure, Thor, sounds fun. Anything you want me to bring to the movie night?” He asked, thankfully looking away from her position. Darcy slowed her pace so she would be able to hear what was being said, she still had about 20 feet till she walked past Steve. Darcy smirked thinking about Thor feeling left out because of her and Jane’s girls night.

“Yeah, I can bring doritos, are you sure Jane and Darcy can’t come?” Steve asked and Darcy hid her surprise before carrying on. Steve looked down towards her position and his eyes widened in shock slightly before he dismissed her. Darcy kept walking and headed straight into the grocery store, picking up everything she and Jane would need for their movie night, smirking she also picked up a bag of cool ranch doritos before going to grab the rest of the things she need for her flat.

She dropped her bags in the kitchen and packed away all of the items that belonged in the kitchen. She shut the last cupboard door before grabbing her bathroom things and putting them away. She placed the new bottles of shampoo, body wash and conditioner in her shower organiser before depositing the fresh towels onto the towel rack. Grabbing fresh sheets from her linen cupboard, she headed towards the bare spare bedroom that was next to hers and quickly put the sheets on the double bed.

 _Right, now I just need to sort out the living room_. She mused as she looked at the time. 17:55. _Crap, I need to go pick up Jane soon_. She looked around the room at the mess of bags and boxes, _Right, 15 minutes to get this all done_. She mused, her hands on her hips _Clock starts now I guess!_ She zipped around the room putting things away and moving furniture around.

“One of the only times it makes me glad I have enhanced strength and speed.” She mumbled, grabbing her motorcycle helmet and a spare for Jane. Shutting her apartment door she ran down the stairs, locking the front door behind her. She hopped onto her bike before riding away to meet Jane.

\----------

Jane was waiting, as arranged, on the corner of the street underneath a street-light, a bag ready in her hand. Jane’s face was alight with a small smile, she didn't notice when Darcy was driving up the barren road. Darcy smirked beneath her helmet before pulling up next to Jane who jumped in shock before glaring at Darcy. She just flipped up her visor and grinned at her boss.

“Hey Boss lady!” She beamed kicking the stand on her bike before sliding off the seat. Jane attempted to hug her, her head colliding with Darcy’s helmet.

“Ouch! Nice to see you weren’t kidding about the motorbike.” She said wrapping her fingers along Darcy’s helmet.

“Now why would I lie about something as beautiful as that?” Darcy smiled and pulled off her helmet. Jane visibly grimaced at Darcy’s injury before tentatively touching Darcy’s cut. Darcy winced.

“You’re blonde.” She stated a bit dumbly. Darcy laughed pulling at her frizzy wavy hair.

“Yeah, but hopefully not for long.” She answered enveloping Jane in a hug. Jane stiffened slightly but melted into the hug.

“What the hell happened to you?” Jane mumbled, petting Darcy’s back.

“I’ll tell you about it later, it’s not safe for me to tell you here.” She answered releasing Jane, she stepped backward to open the luggage box on her bike, pulling a helmet out, she gave it to Jane. Jane grimaced before taking the helmet in one hand, she tried to put it on with one hand but failed miserably. She left it on lopsided and huffed, “I might need some help”. Darcy snorted and took Jane’s bags out of her hands, putting them in the luggage box. She took Jane’s helmet off of her head before putting it back on correctly.

“You ready to go?” Darcy asked.

“Sure, I’m ready to sit on your death-trap.” Jane snarked back. Darcy rolled her eyes and swung her leg over her bike. Jane hopped onto the bike behind her and lightly held onto Darcy’s jacket. Darcy revved up the bike and kicked back the kickstand. Jane yelped and squeezed onto Darcy’s ribs tightly. Darcy bit her lip to smother her cry of pain, she took a deep breath in.

“Do you mind grabbing around my waist please?” Darcy asked, Jane shifted her hands lower down so they rested around the tops of her jeans. She revved her bike up again before setting off for her apartment.

\-----------

“Huh, so this is where you live?” Jane asked once she had wobbled off the bike, after the first couple of minutes of riding she had relaxed quite considerably, Darcy even thought she might have been beginning to enjoy it.

“Yeah, this is where I live, well the top floor anyway, but I do own the whole building.” She replied as she grabbed the bags out of the bike, she lead Jane down the path to the building entrance where she grabbed her key and unlocked the front door.

Jane headed in first so Darcy could lock the door behind them again. “Please tell me your elevator works.” She pleaded looking at the steep flight of stairs.

“Press the button and see.” She smiled holding the bags still in hand. Jane obliged and she smiled when she heard the elevator moving.

“How on earth did you get this building?” Jane mused as she stepped onto the elevator, Darcy tilted her head to the side in thought.

“Well, I got it lucratively you could say.” Darcy settled on.

“Please tell me you didn't kill people for this building?” Jane asked, a slight note of horror in her voice. Darcy looked at Jane and frowned quickly setting the story right.

“No, I got the building after spying on a company for a couple of weeks. Don’t worry the company I spied on was pretty shady, but my client was very happy to give me this building and keep my name off all of the paperwork in return.” She smirked.

Jane just nodded her head before stepping off of the elevator. Darcy followed and quickly unlocked the door letting Jane into her hastily tidied apartment, she had thrown a large patchwork blanket over the threadbare sofa and her leather armchair and littered it with throw pillows.

“Whoa, the view is pretty good from up here.” Jane said in awe, looking out the large window next to the sofa at the reasonably high up view from her living room window. Darcy placed the bags on her kitchen bar table. “Well it’s no Avengers tower.” Darcy snarked. Jane snorted and followed her into the kitchen.

“So what food did you bring? And more importantly where is the wine?” Darcy questioned whilst unpacking the food, Jane smirked before taking out a Vanilla cheesecake that had Darcy practically drooling. In the red room she was never able to process the taste of her food, too busy trying to sustain her metabolism and ever since Jane found out that fact she started introducing Darcy to her favourite foods in an attempt to break her out of the habit.

“Never one to disappoint are you Janey?”

\------------

“Uhhh I don’t think I can eat anymore.” Jane moaned, her head hanging off the couch with her feet in the air a glass of red wine sat precariously between her hands on her belly. Darcy laughed from her spot in her armchair.

“You’re the one that brought the cheesecake and then proceeded to eat half of it ,along with the pasta, It’s your own fault.” Darcy smiled swirling the wine lazily around her glass. Jane huffed and glared at her.

“You ate more than me!” She barked in annoyance. Darcy laughed before pointing at herself.

“I have an enhanced metabolism whereas you do not!”

Jane stuck her tongue out childishly before shifting back on the couch so that she could see Darcy clearly, a soft smile stuck on her face as she suppressed a yawn. “I missed you a lot you know and it wasn’t just for your data processing prowess…even though it’s great.” She added as an afterthought, her eyes drooping with tiredness. Darcy pulled herself lithely from her seat and sat next to Jane pulling her feet into her lap.

“How much have you slept since I left?” Darcy questioned softly knowing that even when Jane got a decent amount of sleep nightmares about the aether plagued her mind.

“Enough.” Jane mumbled at Darcy.

“I can give you a sedative if you want, it should help you sleep through nightmares.” Jane sat up slightly startled by Darcy’s words. She leant closer to her friend so she could look into Darcy’s eyes.

“How did…Is that what you do?” Jane asked. The lingering amusement on Darcy’s face vanished, the walls that were not usually up when she was around Jane slammed in place. Jane’s eyes widened. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to pry.” She quickly added on as she saw Darcy’s lack of expression. Darcy’s lip quirked up at the corner, Jane sighed quietly before smiling gently.

“If you ever do want to talk about it or tell me something or just talk about your feelings, I hope you know that I’ll always be willing to listen to whatever you have to say. You’re my best friend Darcy.” Jane confessed looking deep into Darcy’s eyes. Darcy quickly averted her gaze you know what happens to all of your ‘friends’ a voice like venom whispered in her head you know what you do to them. Her mind supplied an image of a younger looking Jane with pigtails in her hair and her neck bent at an unearthly angle. Scrunching her eyes up, the conjured image returned to her original memory, Jane’s face fading into a face from her past.

_I’m not her anymore!_

_Then who are you?_   The voice snarled back at her.

Jane’s hand clasped her shoulder gently and pulled her out of her reverie, “Hey, you don’t have to tell me anything, it’s okay, you’re okay.” She addressed her smoothly, her voice as soft as satin. Darcy opened her eyes slowly and carefully released her breath.

“I want to.”

“You want to what?” Jane asked slightly confusedly. _I want to tell you about the things that keep me awake. I want for you to not be horrified at the monster that I am. I want to remember everything I've done. I want to feel everything that I can’t remember. I want to trust myself not to hurt you. I want to protect you. I want to feel human_.The words lodged in Darcy’s throat stuck behind her lips wanting to tumble out.

“I want to tell you things about me Jane, well about my past. It’s the least you deserve. But I have to tell you know that most of it is horrific.” Darcy stared into Jane’s eyes, her voice strong. Jane swallowed visibly and nodded her head; she sobered up quickly after Darcy’s words.

“You don’t owe me anything. If you want me to know then I want to know.” She replied her voice strong in a way that Jane always was. Not many people got to see the steel that Jane carried in her bones they too often dismissed her as a delicate flower that will crumple in the gentlest of winds. They had no idea how wrong they were.

“I have nightmares. You might have noticed that I don’t sleep a lot, I think you thought it was due to the fact that I have an enhanced metabolism and don’t need a lot of it. But that’s only one reason why I don’t like sleeping.” Darcy took a deep breath, absentmindedly scratching at the surgical scar on her left wrist. “Most of my nightmares are memories of what I've done to people.” Jane took in a deep breath but did not remover her comforting hand from Darcy’s shoulder.

“Janey, I know you don’t like thinking about it but I've killed a lot of people, too many that I can ever try and repay for, an ocean of blood on my hands.” Darcy let out a humourless laugh. “And those are just the ones that I remember.”

“What do you mean those are just the ones you remember?” Jane asked curiously. Darcy opened her mouth to reply, snapping it shut she scampered into her bedroom and rescued her notebook. When she came back into the living room Jane was sat on the couch with a quizzical look on her face, her wineglass safely on the floor. Darcy eased herself onto the coffee table opposite Jane, ignoring the protest from her ribs.

“Sometimes my nightmares are memories of things I’ve never seen before and before you say they could just be images conjured up in my head I know they aren’t. Recently I’ve been having more and more of them and one of them confirmed a suspicion that I had.” She stated, her right hand smoothing over her sore scarred left wrist unconsciously, a miniscule tremor running through her body.

“I’m guessing it’s not good.” A surprised laugh escaped Darcy’s throat. “No, it’s not…The people that made me had me longer than I thought they had. I thought I knew when I had escaped from them; turns out I was very wrong I had just shifted whose orders I was following. There is so much more blood on my hands now than what I remember.”

A horrified look covered Jane’s face, Darcy leant back. She thinks I’m a monster. “How long did they have you?”

Darcy’s head tilted to the side. “About seventeen years.” Slipped out of her mouth before she could stop it.

Jane gulped, her eyes shimmering. “And you don’t remember any of it? How could they have made you forget that much?” She asked disgust evident in her tone.

“They used some form of electroshock therapy and cocktail of psychotropic drugs to keep me how they wanted. I think they tried to wipe my memories after every mission, I guess they didn’t deem it necessary to erase my previous life seen as it was in the same line of work. I’m slowly getting those memories back.” Jane covered her mouth with her hands as if to silence herself.

“Oh god Darcy.” She almost sobbed before pulling Darcy to herself tightly, as if she would shatter if Jane couldn't hold her together. “Who the hell were they?”

Darcy breathed deeply, the strong scent of Jane’s shampoo tickling her sensitive nose. “That’s what the notebook is for, recording details of what I remember down so that I can eradicate the source.” She said pulling in a deep breath and stopping the tremor in her body. She detached herself from Jane and grabbed her notebook, flicking it open to the page with the sketch from her recent memory of the chair.

Jane sucked in a quick breath her eyes darting straight up to Darcy’s in recognition. “I recognise him. From the SHIELD info dump that you spent days straight raking information from. That’s Alexander Pierce! Oh god no Darcy, I think HYDRA had you.”

“I thought it might be but I didn't want to contemplate all the things that they will have made me do for them that I don’t remember.” Darcy replied her voice hoarse from the pressure building in it. Please no, please don’t let me be one of their monsters. They can still get me back, I can’t be controlled like that again.

“It’s okay Darce we can find out together. There has to be some leads in the information you got from the dump.” Jane grabbed her hand and tried rubbing soothing circles onto Darcy’s wrist to attract her attention. Darcy’s eyes flicked rapidly back and forth as if she were watching a ping pong game of her thoughts. “Darce, Darcy hey. You don’t have to do this alone, you’ll be safe at Stark tower. I won’t let them get to you and neither will Thor. We’ll do whatever we can to help you, whether it’s just making sure you’re never found or tearing hydra apart, we’ll be right there with you.” Jane stated gripping Darcy’s hands tightly in her own in a promise.

“Thank you Jane, you have to know that you are very important to me so there is no way that I’ll knowingly put you in danger. That means that if HYDRA come looking for me I need you safe and protected and for me to be far away.” Darcy stated taking a deep breath to sooth her aching throat.

“Maybe you should tell the Avengers about this, about you, if you’re set on tearing HYDRA apart, I think that they would be more than happy to help you. Especially Captain Rogers…I mean he sacrificed himself to try and take them down.” Jane replied running her fingers over Darcy’s bruised knuckles, Darcy choked on a laughing sob.

“I can’t, we can’t not yet maybe not ever. If the Black Widow finds out who I am and who trained me well I don’t know what I’ll do but one of us might end up dead.” Darcy replied hollowly. “We’ll figure something out later, there’s no way I…we can do anything about it yet.” Darcy sighed squeezing Jane’s hand. Jane smiled slightly before pulling Darcy onto the couch with her in a sideways hug being careful of her ribs and bruises.

“Do you want to tell me about how you got injured and who your old friend is?” Jane asked lightly slowly carding her fingers through her hair in a relaxing gesture, Darcy breathed in in content ready to tell Jane about one of the only important people in her life.

A happy smile graced her lips as she slung her arm around Jane’s waist, “Let me regale you with the tale of The Brave Luna and The Chameleons-”

“That sounds like a bad band name.” Jane interrupted, Darcy mock scowled before carrying on her story.

“-and their first encounter with the rogue weapon of many names.” Darcy finished.

“You seriously have been spending too much time around Thor.” Jane mumbled before Darcy lightly pinched her side. “Ok shutting up now.”

“I don’t remember exactly how or when but I got out of where I was. I think I was in somewhere in Russia near the border but I’m not sure. I was walking I don’t know for how long … my memory is pretty empty from around then must’ve been when they wiped my memory…I had burns along my lower back and my wrist was cut open-”

“What happened to it? Your wrist I mean.” Jane asked swallowing heavily, her eyes glancing down to the surgical scar on Darcy’s wrist that was surrounded by small white jagged lines. Her fingers traced lightly over the raised skin.

“Well after Natalia died and there was some controversy in the Red Room about her dying because she made a stupid mistake by not using the information the Red Room provided and when they couldn’t find her for about a month they decided that they would track us, tag us like dogs, so that they could easily retrieve their weapons back.” She sucked in a stuttered breath. “ My wrist has been broken on multiple times so when they added in my modification they plated metals into my wrist and I think some are in my left hand to make it stronger, so when I left I must’ve hacked my wrist open and pulled the tracking chip out.” She refrained from hissing.

“This isn’t really important to the story but I stole a memory stick from HYDRA that had all the information that they had about Red Room agents and wiped the computers, probably automatically I don’t remember doing it, when I was able to I put it onto a microchip which I put into the space in my wrist because there is absolutely no way that I want anyone to be able to get their hands on it.” _Even though I haven’t looked at it myself._

Jane’s face look sickened and she cleared her throat before speaking, “How did you… that’s not really important, why are you telling me?”

Darcy turned so she could look Jane straight on, “Because if anything ever happens to me I need to know that no one will be able to get their hands on it. If possible you will need to remove it from my wrist and I’ll give you the access codes so that you can access the information on it.” Jane looked stricken and opened her mouth to say something before Darcy carried on. “Please I need to finish, but if you can’t get to it you’ll need to disable it, I have some codes that will burn the chip if it is aimed at it at the right frequency do that if I’m taken back by HYDRA or other enemies and am still alive.” Jane lightly clapped her hand over Darcy’s mouth to be careful of her swollen lips and bruised nose.

“Darcy, Darcy calm down we’ll figure it out. I know you’re good at working with computers and technology so we’ll find a way to protect the information.” Jane turned stern and slapped Darcy’s arm. “And there’s no way I’m ever going to give up on you Darce, just like you’ve never given up on me. There’s no way we’re letting HYDRA get you and even if they do nothing in the verse can stop me and _Thor_ from getting you back.” Darcy smiled and wiped a fake tear away from here bruised up eye.

“My little baby is all grown up watching firefly and threatening HYDRA.” Darcy replied but shut up as soon as she saw Jane’s glare, Darcy was pretty sure that the astrophysicists glare could scare anybody no matter how dangerous.

“I’m serious, we’re not going to let HYDRA or anybody else take you away from us, from me, I mean anybody not even the avengers if they find out who you are. Thor will be on our side as soon as we tell him and I don’t think anyone wants to mess with _The Almighty Thor_ and I’m certain if I had that much motivation and they try to hurt my best friend I would be able to teleport them off of a building, then get Thor to grab them whilst they’re half way down and drop them again.” Jane replied anger and determination seeping into her voice, her eyes were ablaze and it reminded Darcy of when the aether had possessed Jane’s body. Darcy swallowed and nodded her head.

“You can be very scary when you want to Boss lady. With some training I’m pretty sure you would be a great assassin.” Darcy noted wincing internally at complementing Jane by calling her an assassin but when Jane let out a little laugh Darcy relaxed.

“I’ll take it from you, maybe you can train me? You still haven’t regaled me with the tale yet.” Jane said in a curious tone.

“Okay then, I’ll carry on. Once I’d gotten out of wherever I was being held-”

“And cut the tracker out of your wrist.” Jane butted in.

“And cut the tracker out of my wrist. I must have ran to the nearest bit of cover - I think it might have been woods but I don’t know – I trekked my way through them getting as far away from the facility as I could, making sure to cover my tracks so no one could find me. I walked for days and days making my way through the wilderness and rocky cliffs in nothing but: cargo pants, boots, my sleeveless compression base layer and a stolen doctor’s coat in the middle of winter. I was still hopped up on the drugs they had me hooked to so I was a bit delirious, hallucinating and vomiting and shaking.” Darcy’s eyes glazed over, settling into the memory she had left.

\------Flash back-------

_She stumbled over the rocks in the river holding her left hastily bandaged wrist into her body to try and protect the raw flesh from the biting wind, her matted and dirty hair falling out of the old Dutch braid and into her stinging eyes. Her throat felt on fire from the burning of stomach acid from throwing up, her limbs were burning with a bone deep itch. The screaming from her back was pushed right to the back of her mind. Her red handled knife was strapped onto her thigh along with the handgun she had stolen off the doctor and a bloodied scalpel was buried in one of her deep pockets along with the memory stick._

_The icy water flowed up to her kneecaps as she made her way down the river, covering up her scent trail. Flashes of red hair and a familiar face kept fading into and out of her view. Her booted feet slipped over the algae covered rocks under the water as she made her way up towards the ridge. She looked up towards the ridge hoping that she would be able to find somewhere she could rest out of the wind for a couple of hours. 'Maybe a cave.'_

_She trudged her way towards the ridge only stepping out of the river when she reached the rocky outcrop where the river cut through the rock and fell away at the other side. Scrambling up the ridge with her back and hand was an exercise in determination and excruciating pain. Well it’s not the worst she’d ever had._

_She slowly sunk down the icy dirt track on the other side of the ridge, sinking down into a sitting position out of exhaustion. Her eyes fluttered shut momentarily her body still shaking. She blindly stuck her right hand out to grab some of the powdery snow before unceremoniously cramming it into her mouth in an attempt to give her body some of the direly needed water._

_A muffled car engine startled her eyes open. There was what looked to be the decrepit ruins of a monastery or castle situated on the cliff like hill that she was sat on, the river running down towards it before falling away into a waterfall over the steep edge. Her eyes narrowed looking for the source of the noise. She located the source further down the ridge too far away for her to really see what type of vehicle it was but if she had to guess she would say it was a jeep or truck of some sort._

_Dread filled her stomach at the thought that her owners had found her. She got up into a crouch and pulled the handgun off of her leg. At this range that would be the only useful thing she had. The vehicle carried on moving towards her as if nothing was wrong. Stalking down the cliff she made sure to stay crouched down. She stopped when she saw that the only way she would be able to get down the ridge would be to go down the path that the vehicle was coming up or go back through the river which was deeper, steeper and a lot stronger on this side._

_Determined not to be taken back alive she followed the river to the shallowest part. The people in the vehicle seemed to not have noticed her yet. She still had a chance. Remembering at the last minute through the haze of pain and determination she pulled the memory stick out of her cargo pants and shoved it into her base layer near her breasts. She stepped into the rushing icy water and waded in until she was about waist high, her burn a hairsbreadth away from the chilling surface of the water and she still wasn’t in at the deepest part. Preparing herself for the oncoming blinding pain she placed the hand gun into her left hand in case she needed to use her right to swim._

_She took a deep breath before she plunged into the deepest part. She bit deep into her lips to keep in her scream at the onslaught of pain. Warm rivulets of blood dripped down her ice chapped face. She dragged her legs through the river so that she could get to the snowy bank on the other side._

_The sound of the vehicle doors shutting and voices not too far away spurred her on. She dropped as low down as she could, holding up her hand out of the water with the only strength she had left, the memory stick shoved into the makeshift bandage on her wrist. She waded through as fast as she could._

_“Тоқта!” A voice shouted at her, she pulled her way onto the snowy bank, her nails chipping and pulling at the slippery rocks until she had enough purchase that she could pull herself onto the bank. Her nails broke away from the cuticles, thin trails of crimson seeped into the river like a sadistic gymnasts ribbon._

_She pulled herself onto the bank, her body heaving and shaking for lots of reasons. The voices were getting closer. She struggled into a standing position, shoving the memory stick between her breasts and palming her gun into her right hand. She span around to see what was happening pulling the gun up into her sight her hand shaking tremendously so she held her right hand with her injured left, trying the best she could to steady her. There were about ten people running towards her, the closest at about one hundred meters away. She let off a warning shot hitting one of the people towards the back square in the shoulder._

_“Стой! Пожалуйста cтой!” A strong feminine voice commanded her in russian. She turned and ran across the steep snowy land, her combat slippery combat boots finding it hard to find purchase on the rocky path. She pumped her arms as her legs miraculously pulled her along, further away from her pursuers. Her laboured breaths producing large puffs of mist. A layer of sweat covered her body wasting what little moisture her body had. The cacophony of pain in her body only being drowned out by a painfully familiar voice shouting **RUN!!!** her eyes kept supplying pictures of a beautiful young woman with blood like hair. _

_The voices behind her turned into a wall of shouting that was advancing on her. They must have gone through the river. She pushed on noticing a rocky outcrop just ahead that she could use as a vantage point. With renewed vigour and a chance of hope in the mix she pumped all of her energy into her frozen legs. **They won’t catch me!**_

_A high pitched whistling noise alerted her and she ducked her head down expecting a projectile to go whizzing past. She was shocked for an instant before she fell smack onto her face into the powder snow, her left shoulder crashing onto a sharp rock burying itself in her shoulder muscles, her left wrist crushed between the ground and her body. Her gun fell from her grasp slipping down away from her too far out of her reach. She let out a screech of pain and fury. Pushing herself carefully off the ground with her right hand she hissed at the wet popping sounding her shoulder made as the rock came out. Scrunching her eyes shut momentarily she rolled onto her back so she could see why she fell._

_A Bola was wrapped around her feet tying them together. She ripped at her restraints with both hands desperate to be free. By the time she had released her feet and sprang up one of her pursuers was mere metres away holding up what looked to be a katana standing her ground. **Stupid move**. She sprung into action throwing her knife at her attackers hand that was holding her weapon. It missed and the tip sliced across their wrist and forearm. But they didn’t drop their weapon. Kicking out with her left foot she hooked it sloppily around her attackers arm bringing herself closer to the hooded figure. She used her left arm to block her opponents attacks whilst dealing out her own with her right arm. After an unsuccessful bout of hooks to the body she thrust her elbow upwards into their chin with a sickening crack. _

_Her small moment of triumph was short lived as she was suddenly flat out on her back. She let out an animalistic roar of pain as her shoulder and back connected with the solid ground. Her head followed shortly afterwards, her eyes becoming unfocused and her body succumbing to the tremors once again._

_**You failed…** The familiar voice taunted in her fuzzy head. _

_A sudden weight over her lower back and pelvis sent another shock-wave of pain and fury through her blood. She snapped her eyes open so she could focus on her opponent who was surely about to start raining down on her. A drop of liquid landed on her cheek from her opponents face. She swung her right arm up to hit the back of her opponents head but was stopped when it was lithely caught in a slender hand. Before she could attack with her left her opponent leant forward and pushed her hand into her bloody shoulder applying enough pressure to cause her arm to flop back to the cold ground in an attempt to lessen the pain. Her eyes flew shut._

_“Stop! I don’t want to hurt you.” A feminine voice stated, it was the commanding voice from before she had a slight Saudi Arabian accent to her russian._

_“Who are you? Are you here to take your weapon back?” She spat back, her Russian accent strong even though her voice was hoarse and scratchy from disuse._

_“What weapon?” She replied sounding genuinely confused. Shocked she opened her eyes to see a very pretty young woman with dark brown eyes and high cheekbones, blood pooling at the corners of her mouth from her elbow thrust. Voices in the background caused her to turn away quickly. Taking advantage she pulled the hooded woman’s arm quickly away from her injured shoulder and bucked her hips up sharply throwing her over her right shoulder so that she was on top. She jabbed her elbow into the woman’s upper thigh hitting a pressure point that elicited a yelp of pain._

_Another high pitched noise caught her attention. Just as soon as she heard that the woman shouted “NO! Don’t hurt her!” and suddenly she was being pulled unceremoniously on top of the woman before her. She looked out of the corner of her eye and saw an arrow protruding from the space next to her where her body would have been, it would have only given her a flesh wound. **Why does she care if they give me a flesh wound? They never have before.** She cocked her head slightly in surprised before scrambling off of the hooded woman in front of her. _

_She landed ungracefully, her body shaking more and more after the exertion and adrenaline. Her stomach was tossing uncontrollably which was a feat in itself as she doesn’t remember the last time she ate something or drunk something that wasn’t frozen and she thought she had used up all her bile over the past well she wasn’t sure how long. The woman pulled herself up from where she was flat out on her back, sticking her hand up to silence the other pursuers commanding something in a language she didn’t know._

_Her eyes were darting around everywhere looking for a way for her to escape. There was none. She pressed her now bloodied right hand against her thigh against the scalpel. She could use that in a push as she knew her gun was too far from her reach and her knife had been collected along with her attacker’s sword. She felt a growing pounding at the back of her head, likely from when she hit the ground, sending another wave of nausea though her coupled with her exhaustion was making her pant heavily._

_She fell onto her left side even though it was far more painful just so that she could have a chance at defending herself in case they tried to attack her. The hooded woman doesn’t want them to. She closed her eyes for a moment to try and calm her head so she could think, but her body had other ideas. She leant onto her right arm before violently expelling the bile left in her stomach. The acid burned its way up her throat and nose, mingling with the blood in her mouth. The vomit stained the fresh snow a disgusting red colour._

_There was a rather heated argument going on in the background between the hooded woman and a male pursuer but it was in a language that she was sure she hadn’t learnt, leaving everyone reasonably distracted._

_So she hacked up as much of the liquid from her stomach as she could. Her left hand curling protectively around her stomach and she slowly slipped it further down until she slipped the scalpel out of her thigh pocket. Her chest felt heavy and by this point she was certain that she had been in a burning building and had inhaled a lot of smoke if the burn and aching lungs indicated anything. She pulled in laboured breaths, trying to fill her lungs with the crisp air. She had given up on trying preventing the shakes that wracked her entire body._

_“NO! She will come to no harm until we find out why she is here.” The hooded woman shouted purposefully speaking in Russian._

_“What makes you think she can even understand us? She could be a spy, we’ve made enough enemies over the years. She’s probably here to report about us!” One of the men shouted back in Russian._

_“She does and really don’t think she’s going anywhere, she can barely move and she looks like lukewarm death.” The woman replied a hint of annoyance in her voice. The hooded woman stood up and stared the man down._

_“Ask her your questions then if you are so certain she isn’t a threat.” He practically snarled, the woman quickly span around to look at her, slowly making her way towards her. Coughing again she covered up her movements as she moved her hand off the ground and passed the scalpel into her right hand. She looked over her shoulder as the hooded woman knelt down next to her. Spinning she pulled her scalpel up to the woman’s neck level in her shaking hand._

_She fell backwards and held her hands out in a placating gesture, her dark brown eyes fixed on her piercing blue ones. “I promise you I won’t hurt you.” She said trying to soothe her, she kept the scalpel where it was even though her hand was erratically shaking along with her body._

_“Who are you?” The woman asked._

_**Who am I?** She looked down but kept the scalpel up. **I don’t know…**_

_**You’re a killer!** the voice hissed in her mind. _

_**Bella…no…no that’s not right**. She absentmindedly pulled at her hair with her left hand and bit her lip, not caring about the bite marks already present. **Dar…something, why can’t I remember.** She bit down hard and blood poured out the wounds again._

_The woman leant forward to try and stop her from injuring herself again but was stopped by the shaking scalpel at her throat. Slowly she pulled the scalpel back to her body but still kept it weakly pointed at the woman._

_**Palsen**  . A memory of a male voice whispered in her head. **Nightshade**. The voice sounded comforting for some reason she didn't know. _

_“Paslen.” She muttered almost silently in Russian. When the woman looked up confused she held her gaze and spoke in English, “Shade. Nightshade.” The woman suppressed a smile at the response._

_“What do you want me to call you?” She asked softly, moving closer._

_**Want?... I get to choose** .Her lips quirked. **Shadow…no that’s too much like a code name…Shay, that’s close enough**. She looked up, releasing her lips from between her teeth. “Shay. Call me Shay.” _

_“Shay, what are you doing out here?” She asked softly, inching forward again._

_She frowned, **Running… fighting…mostly running**. “Running.” She replied. _

_The woman frowned, “From who?” she asked anger seeping into her tone._

_“My owners.” She answered immediately dropping her scalpel once she realised that the woman in front of her was not a threat to her. She clamped her hand down on the puncture wound in her shoulder, now that her hand was free._

_The woman’s eyes turned fiery as she span around and spoke authoritatively. “She will come with us to the base and she will be under my protection.”_

_“And what do you plan on doing with her?” The male from before asked leering down at her._

_“Anything that she wants, she will no longer be owned.” The woman replied with ice in her voice as she stood up and glared at the man. He repressed a flinch before visibly backing down._

_“Fine! But you know what you have to do if she does anything reckless or tells anyone. She’s your responsibility!” He spat before stalking away, almost all of the pursuers followed him leaving only the hooded woman and a petite woman behind._

_The hooded woman glared at the other woman but she stood her ground. “You will need help getting her through the river and to the base, I assumed you would want to help her with her injuries and you can’t do that if you are driving.” She shrugged her shoulders as if to say that it was the most obvious thing to do._

_T_ _he hooded woman relaxed imperceptibly before turning around to face her. “My name’s Isra. If you want me to I can help you ?” She stated a small smile brightening up her face._

\---------

“So she took you in and you didn't leave.” Jane asked suppressing a yawn. Darcy rolled her eyes.

“You make it sound as if I’m a lost duckling.” She snarked. “Yeah I guess, we found that we had some things in common. It was nice being able to choose the things I did and I could still use my skills for slightly better things. Isra helped me when I didn't know who I was, she didn't care who I was or what I’d done. Even now when I do remember most of who I was…am and I told her, she still doesn't care about it. Treats me like she always has done.” She replied a smile pulling on her lips. “You’d like her, maybe I’ll introduce you one day.”

Jane’s eyes softened, “You care for her don’t you?”

Darcy blinked before looking Jane in the eyes. “Yes I do. I love her, she’s one of the only people I've ever loved and I know that she cares about me too.” She sipped her red wine.

Jane frowned and pouted, “ Well as long as she doesn't replace me.” She joked, Darcy quickly swallowed to stop herself from choking before she burst out laughing.

“What? You said I’d be a great assassin, I’m sure that I would be the best sidekick.” Jane replied looking affronted.

“No one could replace you Janey.” She replied as she caught her breath back. “Besides I don’t really see you in _that_ way.” Her brow rose as she mockingly checked Jane out. “I mean I totally would if not for the fact that you are going out with a literal Norse god and you remind me way too much of a puppy.” She replied.

Jane scoffed and rolled her eyes before suppressing a yawn, “I’m just too hot for you to handle.” She said whilst yawning.

Darcy smirked. “Wait till you see Isra, then we can talk.” Jane’s brown rose before she took another sip of her wine.“Anyway we should probably go to bed if we want to get to work before lunch tomorrow, I’ll tell you about our last mission in the morning. Come on, I’ll show you to the spare room.” She said whilst pulling herself off the couch, Jane lazily followed her.

Darcy padded towards the spare room, pointing out the bathroom, her room and her gym/training room. Jane smiled and followed Darcy to the room, her bag slung over Darcy’s shoulder. “Here is your room, are you going to be okay?” She asked, concern was evident in her voice.

“Yeah, I’ll be fine. I think my nightmares were worse because I didn't know whether you were going to come back in one piece.” She replied, looking down, her voice tired and showed how exhausted she was.

“Hey it’s okay, I’m not going anywhere. I’m okay you don’t need to worry about me.” Darcy soothed as she plopped Jane’s bag on the floor next to the bed before turning to face her.

“Yes I do. You look like shit Darce and you said that it wasn't even a particularly dangerous mission. I can’t bear to think what you’d look like if you came back from a dangerous one. I wouldn't be a good best friend if I didn't worry.” She almost yelled.

“Jane. Calm down, I let most of this happen. This really isn't that bad, my metabolism will take care of it soon enough. I know you’ll still worry but you have to know that I’m good at what I do, I don’t take unnecessary risks and if you want to know exactly how I got my injuries I’ll tell you tomorrow after you have slept.” She spoke softly, her palms resting on Jane’s shoulders.

Her shoulders slumped and she wiped her eyes with her hands, “I know, I do know this but I doesn't stop me from worrying. I’m definitely going to take you up on that offer tomorrow morning by the way.” Jane sighed. Darcy pulled her into a hug, her head resting on Jane’s shoulder as she petted her hair comfortingly. “That bed looks very inviting.” She mumbled into Darcy’s neck. Pressing a kiss to Jane’s head she pushed the astrophysicist towards the bed before saying goodnight and leaving the room.

She headed into the kitchen pouring herself a shot of vodka. “To memories.” She downed the shot, the satisfying burn warming her body, before heading to her own bed for the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> “Тоқта!” - "Stop!" In Kazakh.  
> “Стой! Пожалуйста cтой!” - "Stop! Please stop!" in Russian. All translations made using google translate so I apologise if they are terribly incorrect.  
> Uh i finally managed to update this, i'm so sorry it's been so long but my exams have just finished and I wanted to get this chapter out before I go on holiday early Wednesday morning. We'll be coming to an end soon and I will be starting a new fic, but who knows maybe I will end up writing more for this universe. Any comments would be deeply appreciated and I want to thank you all for sticking with it!


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Italics are nightmares or flashbacks. Inside apostrophe's are thoughts.  
> This chapter is unbeta'd because I wanted to get this out as soon as possible.
> 
> Trigger warning for assault and graphic depictions of violence.

\-----Darcy POV------

_“Darcy Help me! HELP!”_

_“Shay please…please.”_

_“Sestra don’t let them take me!”_

_Darcy’s eyes fluttered around the chaos in front of her. Jane was being manhandled by three men who were each twice her size, bruises littered her arms from their tight grasps, her hair a mess from thrashing and fighting and there was blood pooled at the corner of her mouth. Isra looked as if she had been beaten to pulp; her face was swollen and purple looking and her clothing was ripped in many places, her hands were shackled behind her back and her feet were covered in blood, trailing limply behind her as she was being dragged forward by her shoulders. Isra’s shimmering eyes connected with her own and Darcy doubled forward in pain as if she had been punched in the gut._

_They were the men from the human trafficking ring that they had just taken down._

_“Sestra please why are you letting them take us?” The voice broke halfway through the shout. Darcy tried to turn around to confirm what she knew to be true but her body wouldn't move. She sobbed, ‘What is happening? We got rid of them. I killed them.’._

_“Wha-” Darcy’s voice cut off abruptly as her throat ached in a pain that she had not known for years, tears leaked out of her eyes and clouded up her vision. Natalia’s screech of pain and anger would have drowned it out anyway. Red hair flashed in the corner of her eyes, she tried desperately to turn around and look at Natalia but her body was not responding to her commands. A gut-wrenching sob escaped her lips as she saw Jane’s now limp form and Isra’s bloody unconscious form in front of her.She squeezed her eyes shut, blocking out the blood filled chaos._

_“DARIA!” Her eyes snapped open at the banshee like scream of her name. Natalia was covered in blood from head to toe; old scabs reopened under strain, deep gashes oozing liquid crimson, her nose seeping a slow stream of blood down her face. She couldn't tell where her hair ended there was so much red. Natalia was shackled by her hands and feet like Isra but her limbs were bound together at various different points. She was straining to get away from her captors, fire lighting up her eyes. Darcy willed her body to move, to help, but nothing happened. ‘Not again, I can’t lose her again, I can’t lose any of them’._

_Natalia bit deep into one of her captors arms and pulled away savaging it like a wolf. Blood spurted into Natalia’s face covering the last bits of creamy white blood free skin. Her head swung up and she suddenly stilled as she saw Darcy’s face. Her eyes widened in recognition and tears spilled out of them from the corners. “Daria…help me please” Natalia pleaded and Darcy tried to move, she fought to gain control of her body with all of her strength. She had to help them._

_Her body suddenly lurched forward and her head connected with a soft mat. ‘What is going on?’ Pain lanced through Darcy’s head and she barely resisted the urge to curl up into a ball. She rolled to the side out of the way of the expected blow._

_“Get up!” Natalia hissed and Darcy snapped her eyes open. Natalia looked at Darcy then pointedly looked behind her. Darcy leapt up on instinct now that she was finally able to move her body. She span and attacked the petite brunette girl, she swiped her foot out and kicked the girls inner thigh which was easily checked by the other girl. Darcy switched her stance and landed a roundhouse kick to the girls head and tackled her down to the mats. Darcy’s thighs trapped the other girls arms to her side so she could not struggled. Her fists went down to immediately raining down punch after punch, ‘What am I doing?’. She tried to slow her punches but her body would not respond._

_‘What you were ordered to do’ The girl’s eyes fluttered open and Darcy gasped as she recognised Jane’s hazely brown eyes. She willed her body to stop but her hands betrayed her and slunk round Jane’s throat instead._

_“Darcy…stop” Jane choked out, her eyes bulging and red were leaking tears. ‘Nonononononononono not Jane, please not Jane, why can’t I stop?’ She cried, her traitorous hands squeezing the life out of one of her the only people who had ever loved her. Jane’s body slumped in unconsciousness._

_“Finish her.” The order shot through Darcy’s mind like a bullet and her hands flew into action. A sickening crack shook through Darcy’s body as Jane’s neck snapped between her blood drenched hands. Darcy sobbed at the sight in front of her but no sound escaped her lips. Only now she had command of her own body back. She scrambled away from Jane’s lifeless body quickly taking up her space neck to Natalia who gave her an almost imperceptible smile._

_“Natalia and Anya.” Was called out and Natalia strode out confidently, her bright red hair stood out against the brunettes and blondes. The whistle blew and their fight commenced._

_It took Natalia less than a whole minute to pull Anya into a death hold. Natalia’s sea coloured eyes connected with Darcy’s blue ones as she snapped Anya’s neck like a bunch of twigs. She walked back to her spot next to Darcy once she was dismissed. Darcy looked out the corner of her weeping eyes. “What are we doing Natalia?” she whispered._

_“The only thing we are good at Daria.”_

\---Jane POV------------

Jane woke with a start, her hands and legs were tangled up in the mess of sheets. Her hair was stuck to her face in sweat. The remnants of her nightmare of the aether sending little electric pulses through her skin. She groaned and sat up in bed, pressing the heels of her hands into her eyes she breathed in and slowly released her breath to calm her head. Pulling her flannel shirt on she shuffled out of the bedroom and made her way to the kitchen.

She flicked the coffee maker on and looked around the kitchen and living room to try and see Darcy. There was no sign of Darcy and she wasn't in her room either. Darcy had never slept later than 7:00am in all the time that Jane had known her. She glanced at the clock, 7:38am , she sighed and poured herself and Darcy a cup of coffee before going on a search for her. Walking further into the living room she smelt the faintest of Jasmine intermingled with the overpowering smell of coffee. She frowned before following the scent to a hidden door near the wall next to the window. She paused with her hand on the handle. ‘Maybe Darcy doesn't want me in here’

“Come in Jane.” Darcy’s voice filtered through the door so Jane pushed the door open. Darcy was contorted into what looked like a forearm stand mixed in with scissor splits. She smiled when she saw Jane but it didn't quite reach her eyes. Jane’s brow furrowed and she sat down on the floor next to Darcy’s yoga mat in the spacious-what looked to be training room- she put Darcy’s coffee mug down next to her on the floor and hugged hers closer to her inhaling the comforting bitter smell of coffee.

“Are you okay?” Jane asked her voice soft. Darcy slowly brought her legs together before landing in a squat position. She flicked her bleach blonde bangs to the side before sitting down next to Jane, gladly accepting the mug of coffee. She sighed and pulled her hand through her hair. “There are a lot of things on my mind.”

“Do you want to talk about it?” Jane asked then sipped her coffee. Darcy’s lips quirked up at the edges.

“Not really.” She sighed. “But I can tell you about what was so urgent that Isra had to call me in to help with it.”

“Sure but do you maybe want to move into the kitchen I don’t know about you but I’m kind of hungry.” Jane replied whilst heaving herself off of the floor. Darcy laughed and followed Jane easily out of the room.

\------Darcy POV-------

Jane sat down on one of Darcy’s bar stools as Darcy pulled out various boxes of cereal, bowls and milk. Jane smirked “Stone-cold assassin has lucky charms and cookie crisp for breakfast?” Darcy rolled her eyes before pouring herself a bowl of cookie crisp.

“You've seen me have breakfast before Jane I don’t know why this is news to you.” She rolled her eyes.

“I know, it just seems to have really sunk in that you are an assassin now.” Jane replied, Darcy’s smile fell slightly and she sipped her coffee to cover it up.

“Well I am.” She stated before shovelling some cereal into her mouth. “Basically Isra needed me to go into a human trafficking ring undercover and I had to let them beat me up until we got into the base, that’s why I have most of these injuries. No big deal really…” Darcy tightened her grip around the spoon and had to force herself not to bend the spoon. Jane dropped her spoon into her bowl causing a clatter.

“No big deal?” Jane exclaimed. “Why would they need you to do that? Wouldn't they just be able to deal with it themselves, from what you've told me they seem well enough equipped.”

Darcy rolled her eyes at Jane’s naivety. “They had been tracking the ring for months and only just getting wisps of the rings activity, they almost had them in a fight a couple months back but it ended in a bloodbath that let the ring see Isra, it gave them the upper hand because they knew that the Chameleons were after them and they knew exactly what Isra, Scorpion and the other chameleons looked like so none of them could have infiltrated the ring. Even if they had they’re all fighters, none of them are trained like I am, and it wouldn't have been as believable and they also needed me to disable the computer systems so the cavalry could make their way in. Isra wouldn't risk any of those girls’ lives just because they made a stupid avoidable mistake. I wouldn't either.” Darcy huffed out irritated.

Jane scrunched her nose up and heaved in a breath. “Darcy I didn't mean it like that. I just wanted to know why they had to use you to do it, I can see now that you wanted to do it just as much as they wanted you to do it.”

“Yeah I did.” Darcy swiped her hands over her eyes, ‘I can’t live with anymore innocents lives on my hands’. “Anyway, you wanted to know what else happened.” Jane nodded her head before settling back into her cereal.

“So Isra flew me out to meet her. We headed to a hotel near where I was to pretend to be a young woman who had just left home trying to make it in the big city, I was a ditsy blonde waitress with an affinity for flowers and pretty girly things, pretty much the opposite of what people would expect a covert operative to be.” ‘So basically when I was Bella Donna’ she mused.

“Anyway it worked like a charm, I was picked up about a week and a half later. They took me and the other girls they had taken that night to their base, I set off the tracker in the ring Isra gave me and bided my time till we got to the base.” Darcy replied twizzling the ring round the chain on her neck. “I memorised the way into the base. It was easy enough to figure out which room was the computer room so I could work my way back. I had given my knife to this girl Bo earlier; she must have been the youngest there, she’s a fighter I can tell you that much. I don’t know why but she just trusted me, she had no reason to but she did. Did everything I said, fought to protect the other girls.” A small smile graced Darcy’s lips. “she reminds a little bit of you actually, not the doing what I said bit but the bravery, doing anything to protect other people.”

“She sounds like a good person” Jane smiled. “Where is she now?”

“She’s staying with Isra at the moment actually, until she can find somewhere to stay. But I’m pretty sure by the time she would leave Isra will have taken her under her wing and decided to train her.” Darcy smirked then frowned. “She’s one of those people that just has a trusting nature or aura I guess. I don’t know she just seemed to trust us so quickly.” ‘That’ll get her killed’ Darcy worried.

“And you trust her too, on some level.” Jane interrupted. Her eyes caught Darcy’s downcast ones. She swallowed heavily and gave a slight nod.

“Anyway once I’d gotten out of the holding room I made my way to the computer room and shut off the security system then I went to find Isra in the north of the building.” She paused ‘Should I tell her I killed the leader? She deserves to know’ a selfish part of Darcy didn’t want to tell Jane in case it changed her view on Darcy, ‘She knows I’m an assassin it doesn’t matter’. “I was waiting for Isra when I ran into the leader of the ring, I killed him and then Isra found me and we made our way out.” Darcy finished in a steady voice. She looked up to see Jane’s eyes expecting to see disgust. She was right.

“How can people do that? How can they just decide to hurt people in that kind of way?” Jane asked angrily, Darcy sighed and schooled her face to hide her expression of hurt ‘It’s not like you don’t deserve this anyway’. She raised her head to meet Jane’s eyes, she opened her mouth to reply but Jane carried on.“What makes them think they can just take these women without there being any consequences for the horrors they are putting them through…” Jane ground out between her teeth.

Darcy blinked rapidly before answering “ I don’t know Jane, I don’t know” ‘They always have done’ her mind flashed to her oldest memory, the orphanage bathed in the moonlight as the screams from the girls being taken filled the rooms. Her hands shook as she remembered the first round of enhancements they were given just to weed out the breakable ones.

Jane touched Darcy’s hand but she flinched back pulling her hand to her chest before chasing away the water in her eyes with her shaking hands. “Sorry Darce I didn't mean to bring back bad memories.” Darcy let out a wet laugh at bad memories because they were in no way the worst she’d been through, practically tame in comparison with everything else that had happened, and they can’t be the worst because that was when she first met Natalia. She pulled in a shaky breath.

“It’s fine.” She replied waving Jane off with her hand, her mask slipping back into place seamlessly. “I’m gonna go grab a shower and get ready for work, it’ll give you time to mentally prepare yourself to get back on my bike.” Darcy smirked and placed her now empty mug and bowl in her sink giving them a quick rinse and putting them away.

“Ok” Jane huffed and rolled her eyes and Darcy padded out of her kitchen to go get ready.

\----------

“A wig really?” Jane snorted as Darcy walked into the living adjusting the bangs behind her ears. Darcy rolled her eyes and picked up her shoes from the rack near the door before sitting down next to Jane on the couch to put her shoes on.

“Well it’s not as if I can easily explain why a family emergency would need for me to bleach my hair blonde and I didn't buy any dye yesterday.” ‘And I can’t have anyone associating me with my cover’ Darcy replied yanking her boots on over her black skinny jeans.

“OK whatever you say.” Jane replied pulling a small lock of Darcy’s wig, which stayed in place, as she got up. Darcy finished lacing her boots and walked to the door grabbing her leather Jacket and the helmets. She stood waiting for Jane as she grabbed her satchel and coat.

Darcy jokingly tapped her watch whist she was waiting “You know usually I can never get you away from work.” She stated which ended up with Jane flipping her off as she scrabbled to get all of her things into her satchel.

“Ha!” Jane exclaimed as she shut her satchel and quick walked out of the apartment door. Darcy rolled her eyes and followed her out, setting the locks as she went ‘One of these days I’m gonna strain my eyes’. She shoved her keys and phone into her jacket pocket and followed Jane onto the elevator.

“I’m thinking today will just be finishing organising all the data I collated whilst you were away, maybe start the designs for the new calibrator.” Jane explained whilst they were going down.

“Save the science talk till we get to work Boss lady please.” Darcy replied handing Jane her helmet, the only reply she got was a huff of a laugh as the elevator doors opened and Jane stalked out. Darcy quickly set the alarm on the building and walked to where Jane was waiting next to her bike.

“Can you maybe go a bit slower than yesterday?” Jane asked as Darcy packed her satchel away. She grinned and turned to face Jane.

“You just want to spend more time on my bike!” She accused jokingly.

“No of course not, you just went nauseatingly fast.” Jane scoffed but Darcy could easily tell she wasn't telling the truth.

“Of course” Darcy replied, her eyebrow making its way into her hairline and her lips quirked up at the corners. Jane pulled her helmet on and crossed her arms over her chest, the frown visible through the visor. Darcy grinned and pulled her own on before hopping on her bike, Jane followed reluctantly and wrapped her arms around Darcy's middle.

“Ready to go?” She asked whilst revving the bike.

“I guess.” Jane replied.

“Good.” Darcy kicked the stand and they sped off at breakneck pace. Jane screamed in surprise and tightened her grip on Darcy. Darcy laughed as they sped away from her apartment and wove through the Brooklyn traffic.

20 minutes later Darcy straightened her back as she felt the hairs on the back of her neck prick up. ‘We’ve already been passed that car twice’ Darcy noted as they came to a stop at a set of lights ‘And that silver car was definitely going slow on purpose’ her eyes swept the scene In front of her. ‘We’re being followed’.

“Um Jane hate to alarm you but we’re being tailed?” Darcy told Jane whilst the lights were still on red “What?!!!!!” Jane asked shocked.

“Don’t turn, but the car two spaces behind us do you remember seeing it earlier?” Darcy replied, Jane looked in the wing mirror and slowly nodded.

“What are we going to do?” She asked panic creeping into her voice.

“Grab on tight, We’re going to go to work.” Darcy replied as the lights shifted from red to Amber and they took off straight into the oncoming traffic.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uhhh so this was a lot later than I planned and is definitely not the end of the fic. Any comments and feedback are really welcome, I've just started sixth form last week so updates will be sporadic but hopefully as soon as i have a schedule back in place I will be able to write more often. Thank you for sticking with it. Seriously any comments are so helpful, is there anything people want to see in future chapters, characters different points of view, more flashbacks?


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Italics are flashback and inside apostrophe's are thoughts, for the flashbacks thoughts are bolded and in apostrophe's. All mistakes are mine.
> 
> Trigger warning for torture and gunshots.

“I won’t tell you a thing.” Darcy hissed, her head lolling to the side resting on her numb stretched out arms. A static whirring filled her ears; a sound Darcy knew only too well.

“Oh, you will. It may just take some persuasion.” His fingernails raked over the bloody road rash on Darcy’s bare side. “You will tell me how to open the Bifrost, Dr Foster. Or you will die trying just like your assistant.” Darcy looked into his void like eyes as he slammed the Taser into her ribs.

\------Flashback-----

_“Jane duck!”_

_A round of bullets shot over their heads as they whipped round a corner._

_“They’re catching up!” Jane shouted, arms wrapped tightly round Darcy’s ribs as they wove in and out of the traffic._

_“I know! I know!” **‘Get rid of the bike. Change clothes. Get to the labs. Easy’** her mind slipped back into the ingrained mentality of an asset. “Jane we’re going to ditch the bike ok? We’re coming up to a junction where we can double back. I just need you to trust me ok?”_

_“Ok, what do I have to do?” Jane replied, her petite frame shaking._

_“Let go.”_

_“What?!” She screeched._

_“We’re going to jump off the bike, you need to let go of me and when I say so we’re going jump off the bike and roll. It’s going to hurt a lot but I need you to get straight back up and run for cover, I’ll follow.” Darcy explained as she sped up towards the junction, the lights flicking from green to amber._

_“Oh god!” Jane shouted as they ran through the red light, the blaring of horns followed by the sound of metal hitting metal. Her arms detached from Darcy’s waist in preparation._

_Darcy took a deep breath in and jerked the handlebars to the right. “GO!”_

_They jumped._

_Darcy rolled with a practiced ease, ignoring the flare of pain from her side. She scrambled off the floor and sprinted for the alley opening. Jane a couple steps behind her. “You good?” She asked Jane as soon as they were covered by the dumpster. Jane was leant against the wall her chest heaving._

_“Ditch the helmet and leather jacket we have to keep moving.” Jane nodded, her helmet whacking against the wall behind her. Darcy ripped her own helmet and jacket off, rescuing her keys and phone before chucking them in the dumpster. Jane’s hands scrabbled helplessly at her helmet. “I’ve got your helmet, undo your jacket.” Darcy’s hands worked quickly at the strap of the helmet and she pulled it off of Jane’s head and threw it in with hers._

_Jane ripped her jacket off and launched it at the dumpster just in time for her to hunch over and vomit her breakfast onto the asphalt. Darcy patted her back, searching the alleyway for the best escape route. “Jane we need to go, we’ll climb up the fire escape go in through the open window and use their backstairs to get onto the main street. Are you ready?” Darcy asked whilst pulling her wig and hat on more tightly._

_“Yeah let’s go.” She replied, wiping her mouth with her shirt._

_They raced up the fire escape and made their way into the thankfully empty apartment. Darcy grabbed a kitchen knife from the block and slid it into the waistband of her pants. She motioned for Jane to stand to the side of the door before attempting to open it, it was locked. Darcy took a step back before launching her shoulder at the door, busting the lock open._

_The hallway was clear. “Follow me.” They shuffled down the hall towards the stairs. Darcy’s feet almost silent, Jane’s boots almost deafening in comparison._

_**SLAM!** _

_“Check up here, they can’t have gone far.”_

_“Shit, change of plans.” Darcy whispered and pushed them back down the hall towards the apartment that was opposite the one that they broke into. She rapidly knocked on the door. “What the hell are you doing?” Jane hissed but promptly shut up as the door opened to reveal a dark skinned woman in light blue scrubs._

_“Hi so sorry to bother you do you think we could hide out in your apartment for a bit?” Darcy asked in the most nonchalant voice she could muster, which was probably ruined by their dishevelled look._

_“What the hell?” She asked, her eyebrows drawn into a frown._

_“Please, her ex-boyfriend Donald is chasing us, he’s not very happy about the restraining order.” Darcy pleaded her lip wobbling slightly as her eyes misted. The woman looked up and down the hall before ushering them into her apartment._

_She quickly locked the door behind them and checked the peephole. Jane rested against the sofa as Darcy rushed over to the window to look for escape routes. **‘Go out the window up onto the roof, jump to the next building and get onto the street.’**_

_“Is this blood?!” Jane asked. Darcy snapped her head round, her hand reaching for the knife pressed up against her back. The woman scratched the shaved part of her head as her lips pulled up in a half smile. “Yeah…uh my friend Mike fell down a flight of stairs so I patched him up.” Darcy loosened her grip on the knife._

_**Knock, knock, knock.** _

_Their pursuers had reached the end of the hallway. “You look like you need patching up, what the hell happened to you two?” The woman asked whilst grabbing a bag from under her counter._

_“Jane, we need to go.” Darcy ignored the woman and pulled her friend up from the sofa where she was inspecting her bleeding hip._

_“Ookay, sorry for asking. At least let me put a dressing over her hip it will take two seconds.” Darcy looked at the window, then at Jane and then at the door before nodding and stalking over to the window. She shoved the window open and looked down at the street below. Pulling her phone out her pocket she cracked the back off and destroyed the sim card and memory chip and chucked them out the window._

_“What is she doing?” The woman whispered to Jane as she cleaned her wound._

_“Most of the time I don’t know, I just go with it.” Jane replied as the woman pressed the bandage to her hip. Darcy walked back to them and stood next to the woman, searching through her kit she picked up a scalpel and slid it into her boot. The woman sighed “What is my life?”_

_“I don’t know, I gotta say if you’re used to this then it’s definitely not normal.” Darcy grinned, pulling her hat off and placing it on Jane’s head along with her glasses. “Thank you for the help, we really need to go. When they come knocking on your door just say we’re in the apartment opposite yours.”_

_“Uh…No problem. I hope you get away from whoever you’re running from.” She replied, one eyebrow lifted to show that she obviously didn’t buy their story._

_Jane added her thank you and they quickly climbed out the window just as a knock came at the woman’s door. “We’re going up onto the roof and jumping to the next building.” Darcy explained to Jane as they pulled themselves up the stairs._

_Once they got there Darcy grabbed Jane’s hand and pulled her back to the opposite edge of the roof and they took a running leap onto the lower roof in front. Darcy landed in an elegant crouch, Jane in an awkward half sprawl half crouch. Jane quickly jumped up and they rushed over to the fire escape and quickly descended. Jane was repeating a mantra of “I hate fire escapes.” As the metal creaked underneath them._

_“This way.” Darcy pointed to the left once they were on solid ground and they made their way onto the busy streets of New York. “Drop your over shirt in that bin over there and put mine on.” Darcy instructed as they slowed down to match the pace of the pedestrians on the street. She was silently glad that her wig had the same straight hair as Jane, making it easier to disguise Jane as herself and vice versa. Jane dropped her shirt in the bin and grabbed the plaid one that Darcy had just shucked off. “What are we going to do now?” She asked, her hand on Darcy’s elbow._

_“We’re going to try and get to Stark tower in one piece, if that doesn’t go to plan I’m going to pretend to be you and distract them whilst you make a run for it.” She explained, sneakily grabbing a tan leather jacket that someone had left on their table whilst putting their trash away. Swapping her black leather jacket for the tan, over her loose tank and sports bra combination._

_“What, Darcy I’m not leaving you.” Jane replied._

_“Yes you are. Out of the both of us who has a higher chance of surviving whatever they’re planning to do? Hint, it’s not you.” Darcy stated, looking out of the corner of her eyes she could see someone sticking out like a sore thumb, black sunglasses covering their eyes and black fatigues covering the rest of them. “There’s no choice anyway, they’re behind us. In a second I’m going to cause a distraction and you’re going to run, take the next right and run as fast as you can, get to stark tower, I’ll come find you. If I don’t, remember what I said last night.” Darcy explained, palming the knife from the back of her pants._

_“No Darcy, I can’t leave you.” Jane whimpered._

_“You have to.” Darcy insisted._

_She launched Jane forward._

_Darcy fell over dramatically and knocked a couple of business men over. “Help! Please help me! That man took my purse!” Darcy exclaimed to the crowd of onlookers as she stumbled up from the pile of limbs on the floor. Her hand wrapped round the scalpel she’d slipped from her boot. The onlookers, now sufficiently distracted didn’t notice when she slipped back in the crowd toward the person who was tailing them._

_She limped towards him, head turned down, she slid into the mouth of an alleyway and stood waiting. Like a cat for a mouse._

_She slinked into the shadow as he stepped over the threshold. He looked around the alleyway, not spotting Darcy straight away. He brought his hand up towards his ear, stopping abruptly as his eyes lighted on Darcy. Springing into action she kicked him in the solar plexus, sending him reeling into the wall opposite. She slapped her hand over his mouth, the kitchen knife she had liberated earlier pressed up against his jugular._

_“If you make a sound, I will rip your throat open so fast that you won’t be alive to hit the floor, got it?” She hissed, relishing in the way he visibly flinched._

_“Now if you play nice, you may leave the alleyway alive, I mean you won’t be able to talk, but you’ll still be alive.” He nodded slightly. “Good. Now who sent you?” Darcy lifted her hand from his mouth, ripping the piece from his ear and crushing it underfoot._

_“I…I don’t know.” He stuttered._

_“Not good, enough.” Darcy tutted, knife point piercing the skin of his neck sending a thick rivulet of blood trailing down it._

_“They’ll come for you, you know.” He laughed hysterically. Darcy let go of him and stepped back. “They will know the answers to the stars and when they do, all of humanity will bend to their will-” Darcy leapt forward and snapped his neck._

_“They never learn.” She dragged him further into the alleyway._

_**BANG!** _

_The sound of a gunshot sent Darcy reeling back into the shadows. Her sensitive ears picked the noise out from the deafening cacophony of the New York streets._

_“Jane!” She sprinted out of the alleyway, leaping over the dead body, she hurtled through the streets towards the origin of the noise. Her feet pounding the pavement._

_She rounded the pavement, almost stumbling at what she saw. Jane was on the floor in an ever increasing pool of blood, her hands pressing down on her leg. “No!” She knelt down next to Jane, her hands pressing heavily down onto the gunshot in her thigh. Jane moaned, her eyes sliding open, “Go…it’s…it’s a trap.” She groaned, trying to push Darcy away._

_“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” The cold muzzle of a handgun was pressed to the back of Darcy’s head. She span quickly her hand pushing the gun away. She stopped as pain lanced through her neck as they stabbed a needle deep into Darcy’s neck and depressed the plunger._

_“Keep the assistant. She might be useful later.”_

\---End of flashback-----

“Are you ready to answer this time?” He growled, knife pressed against her lower ribs, the cold metal pressing against the road rash. Darcy willed her body to stay still, her arms trembling minutely from the strain of carrying her weight.

“Staying quiet are we Dr Foster? You know I’m getting pretty bored of this, going to have to bring out the big guns.” He sighed.

“I’m starting to think you really don’t know who I am. I mean shitty villain chic aside you really don’t seem prepared at all! Do you even know who my boyfriend is?” She screamed at him in a faux pathetic manner. ‘ _There isn’t even any fucking cameras’_ Snarling he stepped backwards, turning round as if he was about to leave the room. Darcy pulled in a deep breath. He span back around and slammed the knife into her upper thigh. She released a huff of shock as all the wind left her lungs.

“You didn’t think I was just going to leave you, without something other than your dead friend to think about, did you?” he hissed and grabbing Darcy’s chin roughly in his hands opening the butterfly stiches on her face, a rivulet of blood trailed from her cheek down to her chest. She snarled back at him, weakly kicking out her bad leg feigning a groan of pain as he chuckled at her seemingly stupid mistake. He stalked out of the room, thick boots slamming on the wet concrete floor, Darcy’s blood marring his footprints.

 _‘Finally’_ Darcy mused as she started swinging her legs back and forth, bearing the strain of her weight through her shoulders. Once she had worked up enough momentum she clenched her stomach muscles and flung her legs upward and wound them around the chain hanging her from the ceiling. Once she was secure around the chain she inched her way upwards until her hands were level with her head.

 _‘Thank fuck I’m wearing a wig’_ She ripped a pin that was securing her wig to her head and set about unpicking one of the manacles that was biting into her wrist.

With a satisfying pop the chain slid off the hook and she crashed to the ground in a painful heap. Her hands slid on the floor as she tried to push herself up from it. Her wig obscured her view as she got to her feet, black boots smeared with her clotting blood.

She released a groan of pain and ripped the knife out of her leg, swiping the blood on her ripped pants before shoving it into the waist band and hobbling up to the door. Wiping her wig of she covered the bloody handle and pulled the door open and sprinted to the corner at the end of the corridor.

 _‘Jane. I have to find Jane.’_ Darcy slipped the knife from her waist band out into her palm and peered round the corner.

There were four men, two with their backs towards Darcy and two further along facing in her direction. They were all armed with heavy duty rifles and handguns strapped to their thighs. She pulled her head back around the corner and tied her ripped tank under her bust, brandishing the knife in her left hand she leapt into action. Stabbing one of the guards facing away from her in the neck she stepped on his back, pushing him down, and sprang onto the other guard. The sound of the commotion had caught the other guards attention and Darcy used the guard whose back she was on as a human shield from the spray of bullets.

“WE NEE-” Darcy threw her knife at the guard stabbing him through the hand resulting in him dropping the radio. Before the other guard could move she ripped the handgun off of one of the guards and shot him twice in the chest.

The silence that followed after the echoing shot made her panting sound deafening.

A slow patter on the floor brought her attention to the blood dripping from her chin. _‘That’s not mine.’_ She mused as she swiped at her face and went to retrieve her knife and collect the guard’s weapons. A dull whacking sound sent Darcy reeling into a fighting stance, a hand gun in each hand ready to fire.

The person rounded the corner quickly and it took all of Darcy’s reflexes to stop her from firing.

“Jane!” She almost shouted in relief as the slip of a woman got closer to her without seeming to realise who she was. Jane looked up and stumbled back in surprise, her socked feet slipping in a pool of blood. Darcy wrapped her arms around Jane’s midriff to stop her from falling. “Darcy?” Jane replied shocked into Darcy’s shoulder. She kept her hold tight on Jane pulling her in closer into an almost bone-crushing hug.

“It’s really you Janey, thank god it’s you.” She mumbled into the brunette’s hair.

“Well it won’t be for much longer. We need to run now!” Jane exclaimed pushing Darcy backwards. “I kinda might have set up a bomb….”

“What!” Darcy shouted.

**_BOOM!!!_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So that was a lot later than I thought it would be but at least there's a new chapter now. Any comments are greatly appreciated. Thank you for sticking with this story and I can promise you that I am not abandoning this story it's just taking a lot longer to get finished than I originally thought it would. Also if any of you can figure out the extra marvel character in the flashback there will be bonus points for you ! Happy Holidays to you all!


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Italics are flashbacks, inside apostrophe's are thoughts and bolded are thoughts in flashbacks.
> 
> All mistakes are mine.

* * *

 

_Her wrists were rubbed raw where the bindings bit into her skin but she kept working her hand round in circles, trying to loosen them enough for her to get her hands out. The pain was a distraction she could not afford to pay attention to. The room was empty sans one guard who had his back to her. **‘They probably needed to regroup for the next bout’**_

_She had finally loosened the bindings enough for her to slip her hands out. Taking a breath she quickly pulled them out, the skin all around her wrists raw and jagged as if a dog had used them as a chew toy._

**_‘4 hours until they leave the drop point. I won’t make it out in time, I didn’t get the file.’_ ** _Nightshade slipped her hand into the front of her navy slinky dress and pulled out the wiring from one of her bra cups, using her bloodied fingers to rip open the delicate black lace. With the newly freed wire she set about trying to release the steel band that was crushing her ribs and restricting her breathing. Once that was done she took in a deep lungful of air, relishing in the feeling of her lungs reaching their full capacity._

_She attacked the locks on the metal bands around her ankles with a new fervour, now that she could breathe fully her muscles jumping with the need to move. Pulling her feet silently out of her heels and the metal bands she pushed herself out of the chair she had been strapped into, her various injuries screaming at her to sit back down. Stalking over to the guard she jumped onto his back, her arms quickly going round his neck silencing him as she squeezed the life out of him._

_He dropped to the floor his body pinning her down as well. Nightshade’s muscles were cramping and twitching with every move she made, whatever they had dosed her with making its way painfully out of her body. The sound of her laboured breathing echoed in the room and she dragged herself up using the wall, after relieving him of his weapons. Ripping the door open she left the room, her vision blurring as shockwaves of pain bounced around her head._

_Hallway blessedly clear she steered herself down it looking for an exit in the labyrinthine building. Her bare feet slapping the cold concrete helped her mind stay focused. She heard the oncoming sound of heavy boots and looked around the corridor searching for something she could hide behind. Finding nothing she slowed her pace down and pulled the rifle up to her shoulder, ready to shoot when they came into her range of fire._

_But as soon as they were in her range of fire she was just as much in theirs. She fired the gun, trying to take down her attackers as fast as she could. Her gun ran out of bullets. **‘3 hours 27 to get to drop point.’** She ran at them pushing off of the wall to give herself a boost, she wrapped her legs round one of the guards as a shot rang through the air. _

_Her shoulder jerked backwards as a scorching heat spread through her shoulders. Gasping out in pain she slid down the guard’s body, her grip going limp. A hit to the solar plexus sent her flying backwards into the wall, the solid concrete cracking on her shoulder blades. Falling to the floor she pulled her legs up to her chest and covered her neck and head with her hands, protecting what she could._

**_‘Need to get up. Need to go’._ ** _Nightshade rolled away from the guards as she heard a gun being reloaded. Scrambling up from the floor she kicked the guard’s gun away and headed straight back into the fray, fighting her way out. Hot blood poured down her shoulder over the dark navy silk of her dress, pooling in the deep v over her breasts._

_A blow to her face sent her hurtling into the wall, her wrist cracking against it with a sickening snap. Bile rose up in her throat but she choked it down and turned to fight back, swinging her leg out to sweep the guard to the floor before snapping his head to the side._

_She fought her way through the constant onslaught of guards and attackers. Her limbs got heavier and heavier as exhaustion mixed with the pain and drugs. **‘Need to go. Winter will leave without me. I’ve failed the mission. I didn’t get the file. I didn’t get the file’** Her punches were losing their power and her kicks were getting slower making it harder to fight her way out, her wrist was screaming out in pain where it had snapped against the wall. _

_Nightshade’s eyes scanned the scene in front of her, three guards dead, two incapacitated and an unconscious one about to get up. **‘No. Natalia could do this. I can get out. Take him down and run.’** She cracked her neck from side to side before running at the guard who was about to get up. Using her momentum and weight she pushed him back down to the ground, his fists went immediately to punching her ribs, she ignored the pop she felt in her chest deciding instead to pummel his face with her right hand. Her knuckles split open as his nose broke and he lost consciousness. The last punch cracked his skull, a pool of dark red liquid coming from the back of his head. **‘I haven’t failed. I can get the file.’**_

_Pushing off of the guard’s chest she stole his knife and stumbled down the corridor forcing her aching limbs to run, looking for anywhere the file might be kept._

_There was a door about 40 metres in front of her. **‘They might not put me on ice.’**_

_Her knees gave out and she toppled to the floor, the muscles in her legs cramping up. “No no no.” She muttered trying and failing to pull herself up the wall into a standing position. **‘I have to get the file. I have to get to Winter.’** Crawling along the floor she ignored the flaring pain in her shoulder too desperate to get to the door. _

**_‘Only a little further. I can still get back to Winter in time. I just need to get up and get the file and get out.’_ ** _Slapping her legs to bring sensation back she tucked her feet underneath her knees and made another attempt at pulling herself up. She bit down on her lip to keep in the grunt of pain as she pulled her body into a standing position. Keeping her injured arm on the wall she slowly made her way to the door in front of her._

_The sound of mechanical whirring set her on edge and she pushed herself into a fighting stance in the middle of the corridor. Nightshade’s knife was raised above her head ready to strike. Her eyes narrowed on the door as she could hear the slightest movement from behind it. Her body strained with the energy needed to hold it upright, muscles cramping spasmodically, eyes watering from the strain of keeping them trained and open._

_The door slowly opened and Nightshade released her hold on the knife sending it flying at the person coming out of the door._

_The clang of metal on metal shocked her eyes open and she tripped backwards into the wall knocking the breath out of her lungs._

_“Winter?” She questioned as she slid to the floor in exhaustion, blood coating her lips. Her dark wavy hair covering her eyes, impairing her vision._

_“Nightshade.” He replied a hint of relief in his tone. Her lips quirked up of their own accord before jerking into a grimace as she choked on a tidal wave of blood rising up her throat. She slumped to the side emptying the contents of her stomach coughing blood along with it. Slamming her hand out she managed to stop herself falling face first into the mess as the world span around her._

_Strong arms banded around her shoulders and hips, lifting her up off of the cold concrete. “Need to get the file.” She mumbled her eyes darting from side to side frantically as she tried to push off of Winter._

_“I have the file. You already completed the main part of the mission.” He replied his grasp on her tightening to keep her still but he made sure to not cause her any unnecessary pain. The black goggles covering his crystal blue eyes, she reached one bloody hand up to the goggles flimsily trying to unclasp them. “Why did you come back for me? You should have gone to the drop point to wait for extraction.” She asked, sliding the goggles off of his head, his cold blue eyes held a warmth that shocked her, her shaking palm lingered on the stubble on his cheek as they made their way out of the building._

_“You’re too valuable to leave behind.” He whispered eyes looking into hers momentarily before he looked back up at the door they had come in front of, kicking out breaking the lock open._

_“Too valuable to who?” She questioned in between laboured breaths, her eyelids heavy and drooping. Her hand rested over his heart through his tac-suit. Icy wind from outdoors whipping their hair around them, immediately drying the sweat soaking her skin._

_“You know who.” Winter replied an almost unnoticeable hitch in his voice as her eyes slid shut._

* * *

 

“Darcy! Darcy wake up we have to go!” Jane shouted from above her. Her eyes slid open and she groaned as she pulled herself into a sitting position. Her body was cramping and all of her muscles were straining. Sweat soaked her now dust covered clothes and her hair clung to her face and neck. _‘What the hell did they give me?’_ She sucked in a breath and clenched all of her muscles and slowly released them to ease the cramping.

“I know, I know. Just give me a second.” Darcy mumbled, her eyes sliding shut as she pulled a deep breath in. She swiped her hand over the grime and blood on her face. Jumping back when she felt a touch to her shoulder where the phantom of bullet pierced her. “Hey it’s just me! What happened to you?” Jane asked sincerely, her hands lightly ghosting over Darcy looking for injuries.

“It’s nothing really, just the drugs, its bringing back old memories among other things. What about you?” Darcy mumbled pushing herself off of the ground. Jane stood next to her, her eyes lingered on the wound in Darcy’s leg. “I’m OK, they uh…they sewed the wound up.” Jane replied ripping a piece of material off of her shirt. “You should wrap your leg up.” She insisted shoving the material into Darcy’s palm. Nodding, Darcy quickly tied the material tightly around her leg stemming the bleeding.

“OK, let’s get out of here. What did you see before you found me?” She asked picking her knife up off the floor and grabbing the assault rifle she dropped. She passed an abandoned handgun to Jane after flicking the safety on.

“Uh not much, I found a supply closet, made the bomb. They left me in the room by myself I think they thought I was still unconscious, I heard them talking about a poison they put in the bullet, they said it should put any ordinary person in a coma within 12 hours and then-” She made a slitting motion across her throat before she smiled ruefully. “Guess I’m no ordinary human, they left the door unlocked and pretty much unguarded. I reckon they were going to use me as a bargaining chip to get information out of you.” She chuckled a little hysterically.

Darcy frowned, _‘No ordinary human, well she survived the aether.’_ “Are you ok? They thought I was you.”

“I’ll process it later. Escape now.” She replied grabbing the gun Darcy offered. Nodding she motioned for Jane to stand behind her.

“Ok Ok. We’ll go this way, try and find a surveillance room see if we can find an exit. Although it most likely won’t be shown, if it isn’t…well we’ll figure it out from then.”

Jane nodded and followed Darcy as she set off in a jog away from the site of the bomb blast.

* * *

 

After ten minutes of slow jogging they reached a room that contained computers hooked up to the security system, putting a bullet in the guard’s leg and pistol whipped him around the face knocking him out.

“Gotcha!” Darcy exclaimed as she pushed him out of the chair. Jane was leaning against the locked door breathing heavily, her eyes were screwed shut. “Are you ok?” She asked as she slipped the guards ear piece out and put it on the desk and clambered into the seat.

She took in a deep breath, swallowed deeply before replying “Yeah….yeah I’m good. What are you doing?” Jane asked leaning on the back of the chair she was sat on.

“Well seen as the guard so helpfully locked me out, I’m trying to get back into the system then look for the exits. Can you grab that radio and tune it into this frequency?” Darcy asked pointing to the ear piece on the desk and the radio on the floor. “I want to be able to hear what they’re saying but also be able to transmit to that radio so that you can take it when we split up.”

Jane looked at her confused but held out her palm for the radio which Darcy handed over before setting to the task of getting into the computer.

Her fingers flew over the keyboard and her eyes got lost in the code on the screen. Jane was fiddling with the radios, bouts of occasional static filling the room.

She had finally gotten in when the sound of distant gun fire filled her ears. Her head jerked up and caught Jane’s attention. “What? Darcy what’s going on?”

Motioning for Jane to be quiet she whispered, “Are they ready?”

Nodding she handed the ear piece over to Darcy and pocketed the radio. Darcy slipped the ear piece in and pulled Jane behind her, shielding her from view. Looking back to the screens she could see all of the guards were running in the same direction. A few short bursts from her fingers and a map of the buildings vents was on the screen. Her eyes scanned it quickly looking for the closest exit for Jane to get out from.

A loud explosion echoed through Darcy’s ears, minute vibrations reverberated through her feet.

“You’re going to go up into the vents go straight, take the second left then the first right and then the third left and you should come to a drop which you need to go down and push the grate open and there should be a door either in front of you or to your left.” Darcy explained quietly whilst reloading the rifle and hand gun. She passed another spare magazine from the guard to Jane.

“Wha-What? What about you?” She asked frowning as she shoved the spare mag in her back pocket.

“I’m going to go via the corridors, see if I can find out who it is that wanted you. Also I have a better chance of making it in there than you do.” Darcy insisted, standing on the chair underneath the vent that was bringing cool air to the computers. She jammed her knife under the panel and pried it off. It dropped to the floor with a clang that reverberated around the room. “Shit.”

She pulled Jane onto the desk, ignoring her sounds of protest. “Step on my hand and my shoulders, I’ll push you into the vent. Do you remember what I said?”

Jane nodded “Straight. 2nd left. 1st right. 3rd left. Drop. What then?” She asked frantically as she climbed onto Darcy’s shoulder.

Darcy looked down to the floor. “Run for cover, find somewhere safe, get a message out to the Avengers. I'll come find you.” Darcy replied knowing full well that the likelihood of her getting to Jane was low.

“Ok. Just…..just in case you don’t, you need to know. I love you, you’re the best friend I never thought I’d have.” Jane said her head poking out of the vent, there was a slight hitch in her voice. Tears were steaking down her face marking clean tracks through her grime covered face.

Darcy looked down refusing to let the tears out of her eyes as a lump clogged her throat. She grabbed the grating and shoved it back into place over the vent. “Go.” She whispered hoarsely and tapped on the vent.

As soon as she heard Jane shuffle away she picked her weapons up again and headed toward the door, her hand on the handle she stopped herself. Tapping the ear piece “I love you too.” She spoke her voice strong. She tapped it off and ripped the door open as a rumble of thunder filled the air, electricity was palpable in the air.

Gun in hand she walked straight into the battle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this took a lot longer than I thought and I promise that Darcy and Natasha will meet up soon but i'm still working out the end of the fic in a way that i'm happy with. Any comments are deeply appreciated, once I have finished this story i'm thinking of maybe writing a couple one shots of Darcy's various pasts, it would be great if you could maybe put what you'd like to see in the comments it my inspire me. And of course thank you so much for sticking with this story for so long.


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Italics are flashbacks and are thoughts if inside apostrophe's. This chapter is from Natasha's point of view. All mistakes are mine and if you stick around for the end notes there is some exciting news.

Her phone was buzzing relentlessly in her pocket as she sat rigidly on the corner of the roof. She had ignored it the first few rings when it had gone a couple of hours ago, her mind focused on the target before her, waiting for him to come out of the building. He could be the best lead they had to finding the new source of the bastardised version of the super soldier serum that was circulating round the east coast.

A pair of binoculars perched on the bridge of her nose, focused on the silhouette in the window; she had spent the past couple of days in deep cover, successfully planting a tracker on him. Now all she needed was for him to make a move. Maybe she could do something to help get this shit off of the market.

The ringing stopped and she gripped the binoculars tighter, making sure to track every slight movement. The man had entered the building at about eleven o’clock that morning and Natasha had stayed on the rooftop since then. He had mostly stayed in one room, venturing out once or twice but always coming back to that room, a laptop on a table next to him. It was nearing five o’clock now.

The ringing started again and Natasha set about ignoring it, but decided to fish it out of her pocket as she saw the man’s head roll back in sleep.

 _‘Why’s Clint calling me?’_ She swiped the phone open and pulled it up to her ear, the binoculars still in her hand.

“Clint, I’m kinda busy what do you want?” She exhaled, rolling her eyes as she saw the steady rise and fall of the man’s chest as he fell into a deep sleep.

“We need you to come back to the tower.” The serious tone to Clint’s voice set her on edge.

“What’s happened? I’m on my way.” She asked, packing her binoculars away, ‘He shouldn’t be moving anytime soon, I’ll just set up a camera.’ She pulled a camera out of her bag and set it up on the corner of the roof.

“Dr Foster and Miss Lewis have gone missing, we think they’ve been kidnapped.” He replied, the sounds of cars passing by in the background muffled his voice slightly. _‘Who did it? Hydra, AIM someone else?’_

“What do you need me to do? When did they go missing?” She questioned whilst jumping down the fire escape on the south side of the building.

“Go back to the tower, Stark’s trying to track them from Jane’s phone. Steve and I will meet you back there.” He sighed audibly. “Not sure exactly when they went missing, we’re looking at a wreck of Darcy’s bike now, it got called in around ten. We’re almost done here, hopefully Stark can get something off of these cameras that can help.”

“I’ll meet you there then.” She answered before ending the call and hailing a cab.

* * *

 

Dark clouds loomed around upper Manhattan; a deep rumbling filled the air, the sky ready to release a downpour. She stalked her way into the lobby of the tower and straight into the elevator that was waiting for her.

“JARVIS can you take me to the communal floor please?” She asked folding her arms tightly over her chest, her muscles tight with tension. _‘They could be anywhere by now, seven hours, they’ve been gone possibly seven hours’_

“Certainly Agent Romanoff.” The lift moved at an almost neck-braking pace and Nat was glad that JARVIS had already anticipated her need to rush. The lift ascended the floors quickly and she was soon stepping off the elevator and towards the conference room where they usually debriefed.

Maria was stood at the holotable, Stark rapidly typing and flicking through data on his own tablet. Bruce was nowhere to be seen and it was nigh on impossible to miss the god of thunder that was pacing around the room, each step sending vibrations through the air.

“What have you found?” She asked, getting straight to the point.

Tony jumped from his position, frowning at her “Nice of you to join us Romanoff.” He snarked before getting back to his job.

Rolling her eyes at Stark, Maria turned towards her. “We’ve tracked Foster’s phone to a building near Lewis’ crashed bike, it seems like they managed to get off of it and run. Maybe they knew they were being tracked or they got a chance to run away, we’re unsure.” She swiped a hand through her hair before walking over to Natasha. “If you were Dr Foster and you knew someone was following you why wouldn’t you call your thunder god avenger boyfriend?” She muttered, Natasha frowned, her eyes flicking towards Thor who was now glaring at Maria; he looked ready to snap at any moment. _'No wonder Bruce wasn’t in here.'_

“Maybe I didn’t have the chance. Too concerned with keeping my friend safe, maybe the kidnappers dumped her phone. We don’t know what happened.” Natasha replied, tapping her upper lip.

“It’s remarkable that they managed to get off of the bike how they did, there’s hardly any blood around the crash site.” Maria stated pulling up the images on the holotable for Nat. _‘If it was me what would I do?’_ She looked closely at the image, her finger hovering over the alleyway with the dumpster in. “This is where they found the phone?” She asked, zooming in on the picture of the dumpster _‘I’d change what I looked like if I could.’_

“Aye they tracked it there.” Thor added in, his arms crossed like Natasha’s.

“You didn’t find it?” She questioned, tilting her head at Maria who shook her head. “Did you check inside that dumpster? If it was me I’d change what I looked like and get as high as I could.”

Stark butted in “They’re not you though, are they, they’re not trained like you.”

“It’s still worth a shot.” She replied. Thor walked towards her, looking at the pictures she was looking at. “I agree with the lady Natasha, there was a situation like this before in London once but they managed to get back to the flat before anything more happened. We dispatched the people who were following them swiftly.” _‘Who’s we?’_

Stark frowned and got back to his work. “Clint and Steve are near the crash site, we can get them to check. There was an unusual public disturbance nearby, they were going to check out” Maria replied tapping her comm link.

“Clint we need one of you to go back to the crash site and check the dumpster. What-wait-” Maria frowned before her shoulders straightened. “-send us the picture, Stark can trace it. It could be a lead. Go check the dumpster before you come back.” She tapped her comm before releasing a breath.

“What did they find?” Thor asked a sense of urgency clouding his voice.

Maria smirked, “Turns out that public disturbance was more unusual than we thought. Steve and Clint went from Door to door, asking what people had seen. No one wanted to talk except from one woman who recognised Clint, she said that two women had hidden in her apartment earlier, said they were hiding from an angry ex. She patched one of the women up before they climbed out of her fire escape, next minute some guys in black fatigues were banging down her door asking whether they had seen two women they were sent to ‘Protect’. They left a card for her to call if she had any information.” Maria explained whilst bringing up the picture Clint had sent her and swiped it to Tony’s screen.

“Aha! Ghost company I can track that to the holding company and probably get some information from that.” Stark replied a manic gleam to his eyes.

“What about the security cameras on her building?” Nat asked taking a seat next to Stark and grabbed one of the Starkpads that was on the table. Her fingers flew across the keyboards as she set about hacking into the security cameras. “Nevermind I’ll check them.” She replied feeling guilty that she hadn’t picked up her phone earlier.

Twenty minutes went by as Natasha got lost in her work of filtering through the security cameras feeds to look for anything that might be helpful. Her eyes had just landed on a silver van when the sounds of booted feet approaching the conference room attracted her attention.

“Steven, Clint.” Thor nodded as soon as they entered the room. After acknowledging everyone in the room Clint came and sat down next to Natasha and Steve stood next to Maria a bag on the table in front of him, looking over all of the information they had collected.

“What have we got so far then?” Steve asked.

“Natasha’s looking through the security camera feeds around the building you canvassed and Stark is tracing the details on the card, hopefully we can find the holding company.” Maria replied bringing up the pictures from the alleyway. “Did you find anything?” She asked.

Steve pulled the bag open and took out two leather jackets and an over-shirt. “There were two motorcycle helmets as well.”

“That’s Jane’s.” Thor replied morosely, his hand stroking over the soft leather, red splotches of blood covered the clothing, mixing in with the smell of garbage from the dumpster.“We’ll find them.” Steve insisted, his voice strong and true.

“I’ve got something. There was a silver van parked outside that woman’s building for about twenty minutes until someone in a black suit comes out and it drives away. I have a feeling they’re who we’re looking for. Sending you the plates now Stark.” Natasha interrupted swiping rapidly at the Starkpad. 

Stark’s fingers flew across the keyboard as he muttered under his breath to himself. Collective breaths held as code appeared and disappeared on Tony’s screen. Natasha looked around the room, eyes scanning each individual. 

Thor’s brooding was palpable in the air; a slight hint of electricity hit the back of her throat along with a background static hum in her ears. Maria held an air of forced composure as she stood at the head of the table, her hands gripped a Starkpad as she followed the information Stark was looking through. The Captain’s jaw was audibly-well for Natasha’s ears- creaking from the pressure of holding his mouth shut, shoulders straight back. Clint looking at the back of Stark’s screen with a sharp glare, as if he was trying to force the information out quicker, his hands held in fists by his side. As if he could feel Natasha’s gaze he slowly released his hands and met her eyes. “It’s linked to the holding company, it left the city around eleven twenty this morning. I’d put good money on them going here.” Stark stated, swiping a map onto the main holoscreen.

Steve straightened his back up and looked around the group. “Suit up, we meet on the quinjet in twenty. Maria tell Banner to meet us there and warn the medical wing that they might get some arrivals, we don’t know what condition they will be in when we find them.” 

Natasha frowned before standing from her position. “Don’t you mean _if_ we find them?”

* * *

 

_“Natalia” A quiet voice interrupted her ministrations to the assault rifle that was in her hands. She’d just finished a mission and was cleaning up. Making sure to have everything ready for the next mission tomorrow. Putting it down on the metal table in front of her she turned to Daria, the source of the noise. Her eyes were rimmed with red, matching the deep colour of her ripped tight fitting dress and the smears of lipstick around her lips. Her pupils were blown wide, hiding the icy blue of her irises. It was her first seduction._

_“How did it go?” She asked, pulling the knives out of Daria’s hand and pushing the assault rifle towards her. Her trembling hands reached out for the rifle, barely looking at it as she dismantled it and grabbed a cloth off of the table. Natalia’s own hands reached for a different cloth to wipe the sticky red residue from the reflective blades. She settled into the rhythm, patiently waiting for the other girl’s answer._

_The only noise that filled the room was the clicking of rifle parts and sharp blade against stone._

_“There was a complication.” Her hands stilled on the weapon as Natalia looked towards her. She noticed that the scarlet finger tips, that she had meticulously painted for her earlier, were chipped and cracked.Her fingers were still shaking as she latched onto the velveteen cloth, from adrenaline or from something else._

_“He had a daughter our age.” Daria’s black eyes turned to Natalia’s face, not quite looking her in the eye. “None of the intel had said that, just that he had a preference for young blondes. That it was his type.” She swallowed and fisted her hand around the cloth, quelling the shaking of her hands._

_“They usually do. What went wrong?” Natalia asked._

_“I know.” Daria’s breath shuddered slightly. “She turned up at his apartment. I’d just gotten the first part of the information from him and he was asleep in his bed. I was about to wake him up and get him to tell me the safe combination when she started banging at the door.” Daria sank down onto the bench, as if all of her weight was being dragged through her core. “She looked straight at me as if - I don’t even know - I think she’d been crying.”_

_“What did you do?”_

_“I…I hadn’t planned for anything like this, like that. She barged past me and saw the gun on the counter, I couldn’t exactly let her go after that.” Natalia sat down next to her and placed the knives on the table._

_“She wasn’t part of the plan.”_

_“No. She started shouting and screaming and asking questions so I knocked her out. It was too late, she woke her dad up and I couldn’t think of a way to leave her out of it so I left her on the floor and went back to him.” Daria looked down at her hands. “She was a good bargaining chip to get information out of him; he was willing to do anything for his darling girl, even after fucking someone her age.” Natalia touched the back of Daria’s knuckles but she flinched back as if she had been burnt._

_“He gave up the information quicker?”_

_“Yes, a lot quicker. It gave me enough time to deal with her in the end. The mission was supposed to last three days.”_

_“I know.” She swallowed, “Daria they’re calling you Bella Donna. You’re in their good books now for how well you did.” Daria’s lips pull up in a snarl before her face went back to being impassive._

_“I heard.”_

_“What happened to the girl?”_

_“I killed her.” She looked back up to Natalia’s eyes. “I told her if she didn’t struggle I could make it painless.”_

_“Did you?” Natalia swallowed._

_“How would I know? I shot her in the head and staged it like a murder suicide. It was the best cover I could come up with in the time that I had.” Daria replied, the shaking in her hands started up again and she turned to look at Natalia, her pupils slowly constricting back to normal. “I poisoned her dad and she still believed that I would make it painless, how can she have believed that lie?”_

_“It’s what we were trained to do, Bella Donna.”_

_“It’s the only thing we can do, Black widow.” Natalia grasped her hand as it shook underneath the table and stroked her knuckles in what she supposed was a soothing motion._

* * *

 

Natasha’s hands flicked through the repetitive motions of prepping her weapons. Her back pressed against the cold metal of the Quinjet as they make their way to where they think Dr foster and Miss Lewis are.

“We’re ten minutes out. Is everyone ready?” Steve asked, standing behind where Maria was sat in the pilot’s seat.

Cracking her neck Natasha stood up and holstered her gun before joining Clint. “Hawkeye and I will go in first after Iron man sets off an explosion on the other side of the building as a distraction. Thor you will call up thunder clouds as another distraction for any of the guards that are outside.”

“We go in and shut off the security system and turn off the power, Thor you stay on the outside dealing with the guards. Cap and Iron man go in trying to locate Dr Foster and Miss Lewis, once Widow and I are done we will do the same.” Clint carried on, pulling his quiver over his shoulder. “Oh and Bruce and Maria stay here as backup in case we need a code green or medical assistance, that sound about right?”

“Good, we’re ready then?” Cap replied looking everybody in the eye whilst sliding his shield onto his back.

“Aye.” Thor replied, swinging Mjolnir a few times. A crackle of thunder surrounded the plane as they made their decent.

Nat smirked and fired up her widow bites.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, how did you like it? Any comments or questions would be much appreciated. Just to confirm Darcy's nicknames When she's with Natasha and the widow program it's Bella Donna, when she's with Bucky it's Nightshade and when she's with Isra it's Shadow derived from her remembering the name Nightshade. I'll be really happy to answer any questions. I'm sorry it's taken so long to actually update it but I have actually finished the story!!! So this means there should be the end within the next couple of weeks which whilst I will miss the characters I am glad that it's over, this part at least, after almost two years.


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Italics are flashbacks and if they are inside apostrophe's they are thoughts. All mistakes are mine. The points of view change twice in this chapter, the first section is Darcy, second section is Jane and then it goes back to Darcy.

_**As soon as she heard Jane shuffle away she picked her weapons up again and headed toward the door, her hand on the handle she stopped herself. Tapping the ear piece “I love you too.” She spoke her voice strong. She tapped it off and ripped the door open as a rumble of thunder filled the air, electricity was palpable in the air.** _

_**Gun in hand she walked straight into the battle.** _

* * *

 

Her blood smeared hand trailed along the grey wall as she tried to catch her breath. Ribs protesting under the strain of her breaths as she pulled in deep gulping breaths, greedily pulling in all the oxygen she could. She had battled through almost twenty men and her energy was lagging. It didn’t help that along with her various injuries - from her time with Isra and the ones their kidnappers had so kindly bestowed upon her - that her muscles were cramping and fizzing with lactic acid and whatever crappy drug they shot her up with.

Bending over she heaved out the contents of her stomach and slid to the floor to rest for a moment. She tightened the strip of material that was acting as a bandage around her thigh, the oozing of the blood hadn’t slowed too much and she crawled to the body of a guard near her, looking for something stronger to tie around the wound. I need to keep going, I need to keep Jane safe. We shouldn’t even be here in the first place.

The gleam of a belt caught her eye and she sighed in relief.

There was a loud droning noise as if all the energy had been leached from the building and the lights shut off.

She stumbled around in the dark, hands grasping at the guards belt. His body jerked to the side and Darcy scrambled on top of the now conscious guard, sitting all of her weight onto his chest and squeezing the life from his throat with her bloodied hands. She resumed her task as the guard wilted underneath her, slipping the belt out of the loops and rolling off of the body.

A red glow started up in the corridor. Back up lights, of course they had to be red. Pulling the belt tight around the top of her leg Darcy slid the jacket off of the guard and swapped her ripped up plaid shirt for the black fatigue jacket but stayed sat on the floor; her head leant back against the wall. ' _What would Natalia do?'_ The thought shocked her and her eyes flew open as she scrambled into a standing position, readjusting the handguns into the pockets of the jacket. _'It doesn’t matter, she isn’t here now.'_

_'Take all their weapons, you don’t know who will attack you next.'_ She shook her head to try and get rid of the voice but followed its instructions nonetheless. Sweeping the guards weapons off of them and fitting them into her clothing where she could. The guards chatter in her ear had been eerily silent ever since that first crash of thunder but she kept the ear piece on, hoping for any slight advantage it may give her.

Taking a shallow breath Darcy stalked down the corridor bathed in crimson.

* * *

 

**Jane POV**

_'1st left, 3rd right, wait or was it the 2nd?'_ Jane crawled slowly through the vents, her bandaged leg sending pulses of pain every time she put too much of her weight onto it. A headache was slowly making itself known in the back of her head. There were sounds of gun shots reverberating around her, only slightly muffled by the metal of the vent around her. The power had just gone off and the corridors were now bathed in a red warning light.

Swearing under her breath she came to a junction in the vents. Jane was about to take a left when she heard a muffled conversation from the grating just to the right of her. The voice sounded oddly familiar and she shuffled closer to it, leaning slightly over the vent.

“We just found where she was being kept she can’t have gone far.”

“You saw that explosion back there, I’d bet good money that she made it as a distraction.” A set of light footsteps came closer, accompanied by a set of heavier almost mechanical ones.

“Yes but you saw the blood, she was injured.”

She couldn’t quite see the faces of the men talking. Tentatively Jane crawled forward, her hand coming to rest on top of the grating.

“We don’t know for certain that was hers.” Came an exasperated sigh. There was a pause in their walking and Jane took the opportunity to get a closer look at the men talking below her.“Ok, I mean there’s a strong possibility it’s hers but we don’t know for sure.”

“It’s her blood type.” Jane frowned and leant down closer to the vent, desperate to get a glimpse at the people talking in the sparse red light. As her second hand came down on top of the grating she realised her mistake and sucked in a breath as she plummeted through it, ready to crash down onto the concrete floor. 

Except it never happened.

Her eyes still screwed shut she assessed what had broken her fall. It seemed to be two very muscled arms and not in fact the floor like she had expected.

“Huh?” She opened her eyes and they met a silver star set into a blue suited chest. A chuckle to her left alerted her to the other person who had been talking who was in a red metal suit.

“Captain.” Jane nodded as she looked up to his face, “Stark, fancy seeing you here.” She stated as she looked at the gleaming metal face plate. 

“Dr Foster.” Captain Rogers replied, a dumbstruck look that was on his face, only partially covered by his helmet.

“We’ve got Dr Foster. Yeah we’re heading out.” The mechanised voice of Stark spoke and Jane frowned until she realised he must be talking to someone else in his helmet. 

Jane coughed and looked pointedly at Captain Roger’s hands before smirking. “Not that I’m not glad you caught me but I think you can put me down now."

He jerked back into alertness as if he had been slapped around the face and placed her gently onto the floor, his eyes lingering on the bare patch of her thigh where stitches were poking through. He slowly released her and banded his hand around her shoulders to stop her from toppling over. 

“What happened?” He asked.

Jane glanced down and replied, “Uh they shot me in the leg and I think they patched me up, they didn’t think I’d wake up. Something about there being poison on the bullet, I’m still a little fuzzy.” She omitted the fact that their kidnappers thought that she was Darcy and vice versa. It wasn’t important at that moment.

Rogers frowned and tapped his ear, “We’re gonna need medical attention when we get back, Jane’s been shot in the leg.” He winced and tapped his comm link off momentarily, “Thor’s worried.” He spoke to Jane and her lips quirked up in a smile with a slight tremble to her lips. 

“Well tell him I’m fine. I’m more worried about Darcy, she was in a worse condition the last I saw her.” Jane huffed as they started walking, finding a way that they could get her out and back to safety. 

Captain Rogers eyes darkened and he nodded, “Where did you last see her?”

“I think she’s in the other side of the building, we split up but my radio isn’t working anymore.” She replied and Stark repressed a laugh with a cough. “What? I build my own machinery, calibrating some radios isn’t that hard. We thought it would give us a better chance of finding an escape route.” 

“Stark, take her back to the Quinjet. Widow and Hawkeye are on the other side of the building I’ll go and help them find Miss Lewis.” Stark nodded and Jane was soon picked up by two solid metal arms.

“You ready to fly Foster?”

* * *

**Darcy POV**

Turning a corner she slowed her stalking, she raised the handgun to her sight and leant against the wall. Surveying the area in front of her for anything or anyone. The corridor was thankfully empty and Darcy took the time to catch her breath. Swiping the blood from her now bloodied nose she smeared it onto the front of the jacket. Her hands looked as if they were covered in tar in the red light. The sticky black liquid cloying onto every surface: hands, neck, legs, stomach, face, hair, jacket, knife.

_**BOOM!!!** _

Darcy fell to the ground as an explosion rocked through her side of the building. The ceiling above her shook and dust of plaster board fell around her. The vibration of the shockwave shook the walls of the building and her bones. Her matted hair was covered in all kinds of dirt, a knot of hair stuck to the open cut on her face, rendering the butterfly stitches useless now.

A sharp copper taste filled her mouth and coated the back of her throat. She was more battered than she had been in a while. But it didn’t hurt - not like you’d expect - she’d stopped thinking about things like pain hours before now. Not willing to let it overcome her. _Assets don’t acknowledge pain, they keep moving till the mission is done._

_'I’m not an asset anymore!'_

_'But you still have a mission to do, don’t you.'_

The light sound of footsteps echoed down the corridor in the wake of the blast to her ears. Pushing herself off of the wall she cocked her gun but kept it to her side, ready for whoever came around the corridor. She lightly walked towards the noise, her boots hardly making a noise as she reached the end of the corridor, avoiding the cracked pieces of ceiling tiles.

Holding her breath she slowly rounded the corner.

Eyes sweeping the corridor they landed on the face of a red head. A face that was as familiar as her own reflection.

“Natalia?” She whimpered, her eyes roamed over the woman stood ten metres away from her. She was alive, no blood on her head like the pictures she saw, her eyes as bright as they had always been. Sea green. I must be dead. She can’t really be here. Her heart ached at the sight in front of her. Natalia stood still in front of her as if she hadn’t realised what was happening. “It’s me, Natalia.” Darcy whispered knowing that the girl she knew and the woman in front of her would hear it.

Natalia’s lips opened at the same time Darcy spotted a guard behind her red head. She pulled up her gun and squeezed the trigger.

As the bullet soared past Natalia’s ear a searing pain spread through her own abdomen. Her gun clattered to the floor as her hands pressed at the ever growing pulse of blood coming from the bullet wound. She looked up to see the look of sheer horror on Natalia’s face as she lowered her gun.

“You’re alive.” Darcy sighed as her knees smacked onto the concrete floor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading if you have any question or comments i would seriously adore them! Also bit of a cliffhanger,but hey two chapters in one day!


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Italics and in apostrophe's are thoughts. Bolded speech is through a comm link, and bolded italics are words spoken in Russian.  
> Natasha's point of view of the whole situation.

“I’m going down the west corridor now, there doesn’t seem to be anyone here. I think they must have gone to a different part, I’ll check the rooms for Miss Lewis.” Natasha spoke quietly as she started down the corridor, her gun up in front of her and her widow’s bites ready with her other hand. Jane had just been found all they needed now was to find Miss Lewis and then they could get out. _‘Well and find out who the hell took them.’_

**“I think I’ve found where she was being kept. It’s not looking too good guys, there’s some blood and…huh and a wig. I think someone must have unlocked her shackles they’re in a pile on the-”** Clint spoke into the comm link until it crackled out of work. Natasha frowned and slowly carried on down the corridor, her senses on high alert. She turned her earpiece off so she could listen to what was going on around her instead of the incessant buzzing of static.

There was a door to her left and she pushed it open. There were desks and computers in the corner of the room, she checked to make sure no one was there before holstering her gun. Stalking over to the computer in the corner she pulled the chair out and leant over the desk.

Her fingers flew over the keyboard as she tried to unlock the computer. _‘I’ll be able to find her quicker if I can use the blue print.’_

It didn’t take long until she was onto the network. “Yes! Score two for us.” Natasha muttered as she finally got it working.

She flicked through the database trying to find some blueprints or a map when she came upon a timer. It read 03:47 and was steadily counting down. _‘Oh no. This is bad.’_ Natasha quickly shoved the memory chip from her widow bites into the computer and copied all of the information from it before getting the hell out of that room.

She tapped her earpiece on only for her ear to be filled with static again. Twisting it and swearing under her breath she tried to get through to the comm. **“Hello, come in. Cap, Hawkeye, anyone. There’s a bomb about to go off in two and a half minutes, you need to get out of the west side of the building. I’ll check the rooms here to see if she’s here.”** Static filled her ears again and she was unsure if the message had gone through, she hoped it had.

“Dammit.” She muttered as she ran out of the room and down the corridor, looking briefly into the rooms but seeing no sign of Miss Lewis.

Her heartbeat filled her ears as she ran away from the site of the bomb. The corridors were mostly empty until she rounded a corner and saw three guards. She ran straight into the fight, her widows bites coming up to shock two of the guards in front of her as she took a running leap to tackle the other one and knocked him out. Springing up from the body she sprinted around the corner.

_**BOOM!!!** _

As the vibration hit her she slammed to the floor. Her body screaming at her as if she had belly flopped straight onto concrete from four storeys. _‘Not far off.’_ A ringing echoed in her ears and throughout her head. She scrambled up, brushing bits of plaster off of her back and sucking in a deep breath.

The dust seemed to hang in the red air, floating in front of her hazy eyes. Her head was spinning slightly but she carried on moving. Slowly making her way down the corridor she pulled the gun back out of her holster and levels it.

Treading lightly she slowly looked through the rubble and plaster around her for any sign of Miss Lewis. Her eyes searched around and she heard a light breath from around the corner. Slowly she stepped forward, her gun up high. She waited.

The footsteps came around the corner. A petite woman coated in blood came around the corner, a gun in her hand and when Natasha saw her face she froze as if she had seen Medusa herself. Ice streamed through her blood and bones, freezing her to the core. Her breath stuck in her throat.

_‘It can’t be.’_

The woman’s eyes widened and she opened her mouth.

“Natalia?” She whimpered, her body shaking and Natasha stayed still. _‘She’s alive. No, it can’t be her, it’s got to be someone pretending to be her. She can’t be alive.’_ Her mind screamed, torn apart by her hope that she was alive, the dread that it was someone else in her place, the confusion that it could just be a hallucination.

_‘Her eyes are the same. I’ve never seen a blue like that anywhere else.’_ “It’s me, Natalia.” She whispered her voice barely audible but it rang clear in Nat’s ears. It reminded her of the scared little girl she met one day a lifetime ago. _‘She’s alive. I didn’t kill her.’_

She licked the dust from her lips and swallowed.

The woman – _Daria_ – pulled up her gun and levelled it. _‘What? Please no. It has to be her, please don’t be anyone else.’_ She pulled her own gun up. Seeing the woman pull in a breath ready to squeeze the trigger Natasha moved on instinct and squeezed her own gun. Aiming for the stomach.

The bullet whizzed past her ear and lodged into something solid, someone else’s body behind her.

_‘NO! She wasn’t…nonononononoNO!’_

“You’re alive.” Daria sighed and fell onto her knees.

White noise crashed around Natasha’s ears. Her whole world faded to black as she shut her eyes. _‘This isn’t real. It’s just a hallucination, a delusion. I must have hit my head.’_ Her breathing shuttered out of her as if she had been punched in the gut as the sharp tang of blood in the air hit her tongue.

“No…no. Not again.” Natasha whimpered. The ice in her blood now replaced by a white hot fury and her muscles sprang into action as she ran to Daria’s side.

“It’s you. It’s really you.” Daria whispered, her eyes meeting Natasha’s as she knelt behind her sliding to the floor so she could press down on the wound. Her other hand briefly touched her ear piece and tried to tune through the static to call for help.

“I’ve found her. Does anyone copy? We need help getting out. Darcy’s been shot, she’s loosing blood. Please we need help.” Natasha commanded through the earpiece before shutting off the transmitter so no one could hear their conversation.

“It’s me.” Nat whispered her free hand going up to touch Daria’s face. _‘She’s really here. And I shot her.’_

“I thought…I thought you were dead, that you died on a mission.” Daria stated her voice fading slowly.

“Stay with me please. I can’t lose you now, not again.” Natasha tapped her face lightly, her eyes damp with tears unshed. “Daria please. I’m so sorry. I’m sorry.” Nat choked out, her throat aching.

“Stop…Talia. S’not your fault. S’never your fault.” Daria’s blood smeared fingers came to rest on her chin, the sticky blood swiping plaster dust away.

“I shot you.” Nat laughed wetly. “You’ve been alive this whole time and I didn’t look for you.” Daria’s lips twisted somewhere between a smile and a grimace.

“I don’t…I don’t care. You know I’ve had worse, we’ve both had worse.” Daria slurred. Her eyes sliding shut, Nat pressed harder on the wound in Daria’s abdomen and swiped her hands over her forehead, anything to keep her awake.

“Stay awake for me. Please-Please stay awake.” Natasha whispered, the first fat tear rolling out of her eye and splashing onto Daria’s cheek. She blinked and looked up into her eyes. The ceiling groaned above them and Natasha leant her body protectively over Daria’s.

“You were the-the only thing that I remember from the red room…that wasn’t pain.” Daria’s eyes screwed shut and she pulled them open, blinking in the red light owlishly. “You and…” Her eyes shut and Nat lightly tapped her cheekbones. “I think you’re the only reason I survived in there. After everything they did to me, you put the pieces back together.”

“You did that by yourself.” Natasha stated, her eyes shut and her eyelashes covered in tears as they rolled down her dirt covered cheek. “You lived that’s all that matters now. I-I don’t think I would have survived without you either, I wouldn’t have gotten out if you hadn’t-”Natasha swallowed.

“Died?” She coughed wetly. “They showed me pictures of you. Shot in the head, blood the same colour as your hair.” Daria’s hand tangled in the red curls at the back of her head, the weight of her limp arm pulling them down but Natasha couldn’t care. “Always so bright. I could never match you. They wanted something I didn’t have, you did.”

“I’m glad you didn’t. It’s good, it made you kinder in a world where that didn’t exist. It made you look twice at things.” She whispered.

“Made me weak. You’re so strong, wished and wished I could be like you.” She sighed. “After you died they made me as much like you as they could. It didn’t work, they tried…so many different things, tried to make me forget you.” Daria whimpered coughing. “I never wanted to. Never, not my Talia.”

“You were never weak. Never. You didn’t need me to be strong, not like I needed you. You always were so much stronger than me, don’t you dare stop now. Every time they took you and mangled you, you always came back stronger, like-God you’re like tempered steel, not matter how much they tried to burn you, you never broke. I could never forget you _milaya_.” Natasha cried. Daria’s eyes slid shut and her breathing stuttered out of her chest wetly, a small pool of blood on her lips. She tapped her cheek but Daria’s eyes stayed shut, not even a flutter.

“No. Wake up please, wake up Daria. Please. Wake. Up.” Natasha growled, her sob muffling it. _‘I killed her. I killed her. I killed her.’_ A deafening groan hit through her head and a section of ceiling in front of them fell.

“Somebody help.” Natasha whimpered into her comm. “Help, please. I can’t-I. Help us.” The crackle of static cleared slightly and Natasha’s heart lanced. “HELP! Please anybody, we need medical attention now and an evac. I think the buildings going to collapse and I can’t move her.”

“I won’t leave you. Not again, not until I know you’re safe.” Natasha whispered pressing her hands hard onto Daria’s abdomen trying to prevent the flow of blood.

A crash further down the corridor alerted her to someone coming. Her free hand reached for her gun.

“Romanoff?” A shout echoed down through the rubble. Nat let a sob out of her chest and dropped her hand. She could only feel a slight pulse.

“We’re here.” She shouted. _‘Maybe…Maybe she’ll make it.’_

A crash sounded and Natasha looked up and saw the gleam of Steve’s shield. “Nat what’s happened? Is she ok?” Steve asked pushing through the pile of rubble and skidding to a halt next to them.

“She’s still alive, she’s lost a lot of blood.” Natasha spoke, her head looking up to him. He frowned but looked down to Daria’s body. Dropping to his knees he pulled out rolls of white bandages from his utility belt and a new patch that Dr Cho had made for the team. It was supposed to reduce blood flow and prevent infection.

“Who shot her?” Steve asked as he watched Nat rip open the packets with her teeth and swap her hands around to place the bandages into the wound. She looked down, not answering his question. She looked to the stab wound in her leg which had been restricted with a belt. Steve frowned and pulled a set of straps from the pouches and he carefully lifted her leg to tie it tight.

“Nat, we heard the shot.” She froze and looked at him briefly before looking away and closing her eyes, fat tears streaming down her face.

“I-” Nat froze and looked him in the eyes. “I’m the one who-who shot her.” _‘I can’t kill her again.’_

“Nat you’re not making any sense, you shot her? What do you mean again?” Steve frowned looking at Nat searchingly. The ceiling gave an ominous groan overhead and she looked up at the crack that was forming above them.

“I’ll explain later, but we need to go now.” Steve nodded and looked over Daria before handing Natasha his shield.

“I’ll carry her, you keep the pressure on the wound and block anything from hitting her, Banner and Maria have all the med supplies ready.” Steve commanded, Natasha nodded. “I’ll lift her on three ok?”

“Ok.”

“Good. One. Two. Three.” Steve hauled Daria into his arms, carefully banded under her shoulders and beneath her knees. Darcy Daria groaned and her head lolled back.

“We’ll go back the way I came in it shouldn’t take too long to get to the Quinjet, Clint’s flying it closer as we speak.” Steve murmured and took them through the piles of rubble.

“Some of her injuries are older, but I think they’ve been reopened.” Natasha mumbled to Steve as she looked at Daria in the brighter lights, cataloguing the various bits of damage.

“Nat what’s your tie to Darcy?” Steve questioned as they ran down an emptier corridor. Natasha kept her eyes on Daria not willing to let anything else happen to her.

“I knew her a long time ago. Thought that she was dead.” Natasha replied looking at the way her blood pooled over her hand.

“You knew her when? When you were with SHIELD or-?” Rogers asked, his eyes briefly darting to Natasha’s before they swept the corridor again.

“When I was with the red room.” She replied as they stepped through an opening in the wall into the outside, a strong wind barrelled into them and Daria’s eyes fluttered. “I’ll explain later when she’s not currently dying in your arms.” Nat snapped.

“Right. Go left, the Quinjet should be round the corner.” Steve replied as they increased their pace to get to the safety of the Quinjet.

Natasha’s heart leaped in relief as she saw the Quinjet doors open in front of her. They ran up the doors and were immediately bombarded with a barrage of shouting. “Natasha, bring her over here.” The surprisingly calm voice of Banner stated and pointed to a stretcher that was off to the side of the plane. They skidded to a halt next to the stretcher and Steve gently lowered her down onto it. Keeping her hand pressed to Daria’s abdomen she passed the shield back to Steve.

“She’s lost a lot of blood, she’s got various injuries some older some newer. Gunshot wound to the abdomen and a stab wound to her thigh are the most pressing ones.” Natasha explained, her eyes looking between Maria and Banner.

Banner nodded and looked to Stark, “Call in and tell the med wing we’ll need the OR and the ICU ready for our arrival, that Lewis is coming in with a gunshot wound.” He looked to Natasha.

“Do you know if the bullets still in there? Or what type of gun? Rifle, handgun?” He asked as the Quinjet shuddered to life and all of the shouting had quieted around them. Banner surveyed her body and pulled out various syringes and bottles of fluid.

“The bullets still in there and it was this gun from a ten metre distance.” Natasha replied pulling out her gun and dropping it onto the stretcher. Her eyes focused solely on Daria’s face where her eyes would flutter every so often. Her breathing was becoming laboured and Natasha could see the outwards shape of a broken rib. The breathing was the only sound on the plane.

“You shot her, didn’t you?” Maria stated breaking the silence. Natasha met her eyes and frowned.

“I did. And I promise that I will explain everything when she is no longer dying.” Natasha growled.

“Regardless of who shot her she needs a blood transfusion soon and we need to try and stem the bleeding and get her breathing back to a more normal rhythm.” Bruce interjected as he pulled a bag of O neg out and passed it to Natasha to hold on to and grabbed a needle. Natasha nodded.

“She’s got a broken rib, maybe some blood in her lungs.” Nat stated and grabbed a pair of scissors to cut the sleeve off of Daria’s jacket so Bruce could put the needle in her arm. Her eyes skimmed over the silvery scar along her wrist. _‘I know what that is.’_ Natasha thought as she glanced down at her own wrist knowing there was a matching scar there.

Bruce nodded and squeezed Daria’s arm to slide the needle into her vein.

“She bruised her ribs a couple of days ago, same with the cut on her face.” Jane interjected coming to stand next to Bruce, leaning heavily on her left leg. “I can help.” Jane stated and Bruce’s shoulders dropped slightly in relief. _‘Does she know what-who Daria is?’_

“Take this, we need to inject the wound sites with as much of this as we can, it should coagulate the bleeding. Try this glue on her leg wound.” Bruce stated whilst giving Jane a syringe and bottle and a tube of bright blue gel. She could feel Steve and Tony having a heated whisper argument behind her. ‘What if…what if she doesn’t make it? They won’t understand why I did this.’

“You’ll need to move the bandages when I say so Natasha.” Bruce said catching her eyes. “Natasha.”

“I got it.” She said lifting her hand ever so slightly. Bruce placed his hands closer and Natasha pulled her hand away, taking a deep breath in as she saw the blood start to pool again and she now had a handful of bloody bandages. She watched as Bruce injected the liquid into the deep bullet hole, beads of silvery liquid covering the various places he had injected.

The plane had levelled out whilst Bruce and Natasha had swapped hands. Clint came to stand next to her and took the blood bag out of her hand. **_“It’s Daria. I killed her again.”_** She whispered to Clint not looking him in the eye, her sole focus being Daria.

**_“She’s not dead.”_** Clint rumbled next to her. His hand going to her elbow. She flinched of her own accord before settling into the touch.

_**“Yet. She’s not dead yet.”**_ Natasha replied wetly, swallowing past the ache in her throat. Jane opened the plastic cap of the needle and gently poked around the stab wound in Daria’s thigh. She filled the syringe with the liquid and pulled the stab wound open slightly and injected the needle into it, squeezing the liquid into the red.

Daria groaned, her chest stuttered and her eyes fluttered open. ** _“Shh milaya. You’re ok, you’re ok.”_** Natasha mumbled stroking her blonde hair away from her face, her eyes fluttered shut before widening open as her chest contracted and bucked against the table.

**_“Where-am I? You’re-how Talia-”_** Daria cried like a lost child. A groan of pain escaped her chest, her eyes rolling from side to side before they rolled into the back of her head.

“Her heartbeats sky rocketed, her breathing's gone completely erratic. Maria put an oxygen mask onto her. I’ll sedate her see if that will drop her heart rate.” Bruce stated whilst searching through the medical case for the sedatives.

“You’ll need to give her my level of sedative, Bruce.” Natasha interjected, ignoring the strange looks she was getting. Her mission to make sure that Daria didn’t die on her count.

Not again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for carrying on writing, we're nearly at the end, there's one more chapter and then there will be an epilogue! It's been so much fun and I hope this cleared a few things up for all of you and that you liked it and that the longer chapter made up for the pain I caused you lot last time :)


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Italics inside apostrophe's are thoughts. Bolded Italics are Russian. All mistakes are mine and I hat to do some editing on my phone so there may be a few obvious mistakes.

**Nat POV:**

“Conference room now.” Captain Rogers turned and walked away from the ICU doors where the team had congregated. Everyone else was sat down next to the doors where they had been waiting for any news. Jane was seated on the edge of a chair, her leg pressed up on the stool in front of her a thick white bandage wrapped around her thigh and an IV of a clear liquid pressed into her arm. Apparently she had been shot with a poisoned bullet but that was a question for another day.

Natasha stared at the doors where they had swung shut. It had been a minute since someone had come out and told them that ‘Miss Lewis’ was stable and that she was sedated and shouldn’t be awake for another 12 hours and then she could have visitors.

Everyone else had started to walk away but Nat stood looking at the door as if she had suddenly developed x-ray vision. _‘She’s ok. She’s going to be ok. I’m going to see her alive.’_

“Nat, you coming? They won’t start till you get there.” Clint stated, her eyes didn’t waver from the red emergency sign. _‘She was covered in blood. Red. Always red.’_

“Nat.” She turned slightly and ripped her eyes away from the sign and followed him down the hall and into the elevator.

_‘She’s alive. She’s alive. She’s alive. She’s alive! I’ve got her back. I’m not alone anymore. I’m not alone. I’m not alone.’_

Natasha’s eyes blurred as they filled up with water and she nestled herself into the corner of the elevator, not sure that she could hold herself up. Her body shook with sobs that she had suppressed for her whole life. She didn’t realise quite how much losing Daria had affected her whole life till now. _‘Would I still be killing for them?’_

“Hey. Nat, hey, it’s ok. You’re ok. She’s …she’ll live.” Clint soothed, shutting the elevator off so they wouldn’t reach the conference room too soon. He stayed just out of her reach, in case she didn’t want to be touched, but his hand rested on the banister next to hers.

“She’s alive. Clint she’s really here, I thought I’d never see her again. And, and she’s been here and under our noses the whole time.” Nat trembled and leaned towards Clint, her body subconsciously craving comfort. He smoothed his hand out along her back and let her head rest on his shoulder, not wanting to crowd her too much.

“There are a lot of questions and a lot of things to sort out but you’ve got her back now and that’s all that matters. I’ll support you in whatever you say in there, I trust you.” Clint said quietly, slowly stroking down her back. _‘What will they do to her?’_

“What’s going to happen to her Clint? She’s dangerous.” Natasha murmured straightening her shoulders and swiping at her face and schooling her features. Ready for whatever battles she’ll have to fight to keep Daria safe with her.

“So are you.”

“I know.” Natasha smirked showing the points of her teeth.

“I also know you and I know that you won’t let them take her away from you.”

“I’m worried what I’ll do if they try.” She replied. _‘If they get between us I don’t know if I could draw the line between what I’d do to protect her and try and keep them safe, if I hurt any of them I don’t know what would happen.’_ “Is this how Steve feels? With Barnes?”

“I don’t know, but I’d say that between the two of you you’ll be able to help each other better than anyone else on this earth.” Clint stated and turned the elevator on again.

“Maybe. Maybe not, we come from very different worlds.” Natasha mused as they reached the conference level. The doors opened and Natasha strode out in front of Clint.

She stopped momentarily in front of the conference room door, hearing the commotion from inside it. Natasha tapped the door handle twice before rocking forward and into the room.

The building noise suddenly disappeared leaving a vacuum of noise.

“You have questions.” Natasha cleared her throat and walked to the spare seats on the right hand side of the room, next to Jane and Thor.

“You’re god dammed right we do, Romanoff-” Steve interrupted staring her down. Clint collapsed into the chair next to her.

“Let me finish.” Natasha glared, she looked from Steve to Stark and then to Maria. “I just need to know that after, that I can see her, be with her. That you won’t lock her away somewhere I can’t find her.”

“You know we can’t promise that Romanoff.” Maria stated and Thor gave her a look like thunder.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” Jane spoke up.

“It’s alright Lady Romanoff. Heimdall will know wherever she is.” Thor growled but looked to Natasha in solidarity. She frowned and looked back up.

“We’d rather know what she did first.” Stark piped up and Natasha nodded and stood straight but focused in on a spot on the holotable.

“It’s a long story and there’s some of it I don’t know but I think Jane might be able to help fill in some of the gaps.” She spoke, the words coming out stronger than she thought she could muster at that point.

“We’ve got time.” Steve stated, his voice softer than before. Nat nodded and took in a breath and slowly released it. “How do you know her?” _‘Here we go.’_

“We were in the red room together.” She swallowed. “I’m a lot older than I look. I first met Darcy, well Daria when I was six and a half. At least I think that’s how old I was. It was 1945 when she was first brought to the red room.” Nat tilted her head to the side as she resurrected the memory. “They left her batch in the sleeping room, they hadn’t tested them yet so they were just scared shitless little five year olds. She was in the cot next to me and she was just curled up into this tiny ball of porcelain skin and white blonde hair crying. She had been for hours and I don’t know why, but I talked to her. She was too innocent for a place like that.”

“You were just kids Nat.” Clint interrupted.

“Not by then, I’d been there for a year, they’d already started training me.” She released her clenched fist and placed her palm flat on the table. “They took her for testing the next day and I thought that, hoped that she wouldn’t come back for her sake. Part of me wanted her to come back, she seemed different from the rest, I don’t know why.”

“What happened then?” Steve asked quietly.

“We were trained together, tested together, taught together each one of 28 operatives. We killed together, fighting the other girls for who would survive to mission stage. When she was fourteen our programme went through the final test and prep before we were sent on missions.” _‘It wasn’t a test. It was supposed to make us more efficient.’_ “She was better at distance kills at first. They sent her on assassinations and they sent me, well I got my name for a reason.” Nat sighed. “Then when Daria fully uh developed they thought that she could very easily adapt her skills to seductions. When we trained she had, I guess you could call it a gift, for technology and in the sixties it’s not as if it was all too complicated. Not like it is now at least.” Nat smirked remembering how quickly Daria could shut down security systems with just the slightest information.

“How old?” Jane sniffed quietly. “How old was she when- how old were you when you both-”

“When we first started doing seductions or first started doing missions? I started at fifteen, I think I’m not sure.” She swallowed, she could still feel the man’s grimy hands touching her and the sweet crack as she snapped his neck. “Darcy started missions at fourteen and moved to seductions at fifteen maybe sixteen, I don’t know our birthdays exactly.”

“Oh.” Jane replied looking down at her hands.

Stark coughed and waited until he had Natasha’s eye contact. “Who did you work for?”

“Whoever gave us the orders. I was mostly working with the Red room. I think Darcy was passed between the two of them.” Nat leant forward and pressed her hands to the table. “Now for a long time I’d thought that Daria had died, been killed on a mission that I was supposed to take. Obviously she didn’t die and it was some plot from the red room to separate us to try and make us more compliant. Mind wipes and brainwashing doesn’t have quite the same affect when you’ve gone through it together, not that they didn’t try that.”

“And when SHIELD fell and turned out to be HYDRA and I put all those files on the internet I found out that Daria hadn’t died, well in a way she did. She’d been given to HYDRA in negotiations as some twisted present.” Natasha growled and turned her hand into a fist, knuckles turning white from the strain. “She became one of their assets until she ‘died’ in two thousand, around the same time that I’d just started working for SHIELD. As part of my job at SHIELD I revealed all the information I could about any Hydra or red room bases, Daria was in one of them when it was attacked and set alight, there was a death report of her burning to death in the building fire.” Natasha clenched her fist hard enough that she could hear the bones creak in her wrist.

“They didn’t check to make sure it was her body?” Stark questioned, his eyebrow raised.

“They were based at the Russian Kazakhstan border there was nothing but snow ice and deserted land for a hundred mile radius. They didn’t think it was necessary.” Nat replied and Stark’s face fell.

“I don’t know what happened to her after that.” _‘I just hope it was somewhere better than where she came from.’_

“I think I might know where she might have been, or at least know a way to find out.” Jane added and all the eyes in the room turned to her. “She uh spent some time with a friend who I think might be a mercenary. Her names Isra and I think I can get in contact with her, there’s a notebook at her apartment in Brooklyn with information that I think might be useful.”

“You knew what she was the whole time?” Stark asked incredulously.

“Of course I did, she’s my best friend.”

“How did you find out?” Steve asked.

“Well, after Thor landed in New Mexico she told me. I think she realised after that, that she was never going to have a normal life, no matter how hard she tried.” Jane smiled sadly. “She told me she was an assassin then and I didn’t ask questions, she told me what she wanted me to know.”

“So you knew she used to be Hydra and didn’t tell any of us?” Bruce asked, his calm voice straining.

“She didn’t know herself until a couple of weeks ago.” Jane defended. “She talked about remembering some kind of electroshock therapy which took her memories.” _‘No, please no.’_ Steve took in a sharp breath. “She knew she was Red Room but not much else from that time, she thought that you were an imposter.” Jane added as she looked at Natasha. Natasha dropped her head to avoid the eye contact.

“Why did you shoot her, Nat?” Steve asked looking towards her, his eyes soft.

“When I found her at the compound it was after the explosion. She came round the corner. She recognised me. But then she pulled a gun up level with my head and she pulled the trigger so I reacted and shot her in the stomach.” Natasha swallowed the horrible sensation crawling up the back of her throat. “She was aiming at a guard behind me, I’d be dead if she hadn’t shot him.” At the brief incredulous look that flashed in Steve’s eyes she ploughed on.

“She’s not like Barnes, Rogers. She’s always been dangerous, we didn’t have civilian lives before any of this happened, we’ve never been safe. If she aimed a gun at me and meant to kill me I would be dead. If she meant to kill me then I had to do something so she couldn’t hurt any of you. I don’t know why I didn’t aim for her head, that’s what should have happened in that situation.” Natasha replied. “We weren’t innocent little kids who had normal lives before all of this happened. I know how dangerous she is, I grew up knowing that. We hurt each other when we were on the same side, what would happen if were against each other?”

“She’s dangerous.” Maria added in.

“We are all dangerous. If she truly meant harm to Jane or any of you, my brethren, Heimdall would have warned me.” Thor replied, his voice filling the room.

“We don’t know if she’s stable.” Bruce stated, pressing his fingers to the bridge of his nose.

“She may have valuable information. Plus we can’t just release her she’s a target for Hydra now.” Maria argued.

“She can take care of herself.”

“Of that I’m sure.”

“What about the threat she poses to any of SI’s employees?”

“It’s not really anymore than the threat we pose to them.”

“She could be a sleeper agent, she stayed with Jane through all of this and moved to New York but won’t stay in the building.”

“Hey! She’s my best friend that’s why she stayed with me.”

“She does not have any ill will towards us.”

“Oh sure from that short time she spent with us at that one meal and went home at pretty much the beginning.”

“Jane trusts her. No one trusted Nat and I when we got brought into SHIELD.”

“We can’t just keep her here and we can’t release her, what the hell do we do then?”

“Everybody shut up!” Natasha shouted, leaning over the table she swiped some files onto the holotable. “Look at the files, read them. I need some time to think before any decisions are made. We all do. If you have any more questions I’m sure I’ll be able to answer them.”

Natasha quietly shuffled till she was standing facing the mostly blacked out windows of the conference room. _‘What does she remember? She’ll hate me when she finds out that I left her.’_

“Are you ok?” A quiet voice asked from behind her. Jane. “Come on a walk with me to get some coffee? I don’t need to be here for this.” Jane asked and the tone in her voice suggested she wouldn’t take no for an answer. Natasha followed Jane out of the room, her hand resting on Jane’s elbow to help balance her.

As soon as the door shut behind them Jane sighed in relief. Walking down to the end of the corridor they took the lift down to the common room above the infirmary to grab coffee. They were silent the whole way until they both had mugs of coffee in their hands and they sat at the kitchen table.

Nat pressed the cup to her lips but didn’t open them, just revelling in the bitter smell of the coffee. Jane tapped her fingers against the table.

“She remembered you.” Jane spoke breaking the silence.

“I know.”

“I could tell she cared for you, even in the brief conversations about her past we had.” Jane stated, looking at Natasha’s face. “I think you cared for her too, a lot.”

“I did. I still do.” Nat replied finally releasing that bit of information.

“She told me about a microchip.” Jane swallowed a mouthful of coffee before carrying on. “It’s in her wrist, I didn’t want to tell the others. I don’t know them well enough or trust them.”

“So you trust me with this information?” Natasha frowned in question.

Jane laughed sardonically, “I figured you would have had the same operation as Darcy if you weren’t you know, dead. She said she put it into her wrist, it has hydra files on it I think. The others might think that she’s a sleeper agent if I told them that.”

“And you think that I wouldn’t?” She asked.

“No. From what I saw in there I think you will protect her with your life.” Jane replied. “She blamed herself for your death, you know? She said she wasn’t there to protect you and that it was a stupid mistake on a mission.”

Natasha laughed wetly. “I blamed myself for her death. I guess the red room really fucked us up.”

“She trusted you back then, so I’m trusting you now to help keep her safe. I love her and I want to keep her away from the monsters that hurt her, that hurt you both.” Jane spoke, her voice strong and powerful.

“So once we’ve found somewhere for Darcy and they’ve decided what to do with her, I’m trusting you to help her use the information on her memory chip to help get rid of the monsters.”

“It would be my pleasure.” Natasha’s lips quirked up a little, her eyes a little glassy. “Tell me about her, please? Your Darcy.”

* * *

 

 

**Darcy POV**

_‘Natalia. Is she alive? Where am I?’_

Her head ached as all her senses came back into her in a rush. Her flesh felt electric and she could feel the thrumming of liquid in her veins and the metal pinch in the back of her hand. The pain in her head lanced as if someone had set her nerves on fire and cut her down the middle of her skull.

A dull throbbing emanated from her stomach, it was tightly wrapped in bandaging and she could feel the stitches holding her together in various places all over her body. She whimpered. _‘Where am I?’_

There were tight bands around her legs, waist and shoulders but her hands were still free to move. A set of electrodes were pressed to her chest. _‘Do they have me back? I need to get out of here.’_

Keeping her eyes shut for a moment longer she felt around lightly with both of her fingers to find anything she could use to help break the restraints. _‘Use the needle. Get out of here.’_

The burning smell of medical disinfectant filled her nose as she yanked the IV out of her hand. She stabbed it into the band around her shoulders and picked at the threading trying to make it easier to rip it open.

Opening her eyes she saw the blank bare walls of the room around her. _‘Could be new Hydra, rebuilding from the ashes.’_

She pushed her shoulders up and snapped the band and worked quickly on the other bands before anyone could see what she was doing and stop her. She was wearing a thin pale blue gown that was tied at the sides resting just above her knees. _‘I can’t stay here. I can’t be one of their monsters again. I won’t kill for them again.’_

She slid her legs off of the bed and ripped the electrodes stuck to her chest off, setting off a series of alarms. _‘Reckless. You should have turned it off at the wall first.’_

A set of footsteps pounded down the corridor and Darcy slid off the bed and stood up. Her knees buckled out from under her at the shockwaves of pain in her stomach, she only managed to right herself by clutching onto the bed railings.

“She’s awake.” A shout resounded down the corridor and Darcy steeled herself and hid behind the door.

“What? She shouldn’t be anywhere near working the sedative off.”

As soon as the door opened she slammed it straight into their faces. Pulling it back open she quickly knocked them out and pulled them into the room stripping the female scientist or doctor of her scrubs and placing her in the bed where she was.

She took the clipboard up and stole her glasses and pulled her blonde locks up. Slipping out of the room she made her way down the corridor quickly trying to make her way out of the building.

* * *

 

**Nat POV**

“Miss Lewis has escaped her room in the infirmary.” Natasha’s comm crackled to life as JARVIS spoke directly through it. _‘Oh God maybe she isn’t in control.’_ Her blood ran cold and she tapped it on as she stalked out of the room.

“I’m going after her.” She commanded and slammed the door shut to the common room kitchen and locked it so Jane would be safe.

“Natasha don’t-” She ripped her earpiece out and threw it on the floor.

The elevators had gone on lockdown and the warning lights of an intruder had started so she sprinted down the stairs to the infirmary. She leant against the heavy steel door for two breaths before pushing her way through it into the corridor.

It was completely empty; she brought up her gun and slowly walked down it, scanning it as she went.

Turning toward the ICU ward she was bombarded with a barrage of noise as the ward doors swung open and two nurses and a receptionist came running out, their panting intermingled with shouting and the loud beeping of various different machines. “Get out of here, take the stairs down to a panic room.” She hissed pushing them down the corridor as she snuck into the ward. Locking the doors behind her and barricading it with a gurney. _‘They’ll hurt her, they don’t know how to get through to her.’_

A crash from further in the ward attracted her attention and she bowed down behind the reception desk as she heard flesh hitting flesh. _‘Daria, I need to get to her. I won’t let her kill anyone.’_

Nat sprinted around the corner and threw one of her widow bites at Daria where she was holding a doctor up by her throat against a wall. She had a cold look in her eye and her skin was covered in a layer of sweat. Daria dropped the doctor to avoid the widow bite and spun towards Nat.

“Natalia?” She questioned, her voice the same as when they had first met, frightened but still laced with steel and poison. _‘She still knows me.’_

“It’s me. You’re safe here. You can stop.” Natasha replied slowly walking towards her. When she noticed she skidded backwards, spooked.

 ** _“No. I can’t. I won’t ever be.”_** Daria whimpered clutching one hand to her head as she slipped backwards in a patch of blood.

Natasha easily changed back into her mother tongue as she lowered her gun to hip level. **_“Yes you will milaya.”_**

 ** _“No no no.”_** She cried and pulled on her red smeared tresses. **_“They’ll find me. I won’t go back to them.”_** She snarled.

 ** _“I won’t let them.”_** Natasha growled. Her eyes diverted from Daria’s as she saw Clint hang down from the vent behind her, bow in hand.

 ** _“You can’t say that. They’ll always be out there. They’re everywhere.”_** Daria panted and straightened up. A pang of copper hit the air and Daria dropped one hand to rest over her stomach briefly before her head bowed down and she let out a choked off moan of pain. Clutching at her head Daria stumbled to the wall to hold up her weight. **_“They always take their assets back, you know that.”_**

 _ **“We’ll fight them together then.”** _ Natasha fired back. _‘I won’t let her go.’_ She tentatively walked closer to her. Tapping her leg three times she signalled to Clint to hold fire.

 _ **“You can’t fight them. They always come back, we’ll never be safe. You worked for them, killed for them without knowing.”**_ Daria groaned and screwed her eyes shut, a thin trial of blood ran from her nose. _‘What’s happened to her head she hasn’t hit her nose?’_

 _ **“It’s not just us anymore. We can fight them this time. I promise you.”**_ Natasha put her hands up in a placating gesture, her gun pointing outwards. _‘She doesn’t trust me.’_

Daria’s eyes snapped open and she pulled the gun away from Natasha’s hands and pointed it towards her and stumbled backwards away from her. Clint tensed behind her but she shook her head minutely to tell him to back off.

 ** _“Daria, you don’t have to do this, you don’t have to leave.”_** Natasha pleaded.

 _ **“Yes, I do.”**_ She hissed and straightened her back out, readying herself to flee.

 _ **“I can’t let you go.”**_ Natasha stated and sprang into action. Her leg kicking the gun from Daria’s hand. She span and slipped her leg out to catch Daria off guard.

Daria hissed and jumped Natasha’s leg, spinning round she tried to hook her leg around Natasha’s head to pull her to the floor. She missed and kicked her leg out hitting Natasha in the solar plexus sending her sprawling backwards. Scrambling for the gun Natasha landed a hit to Daria’s injured leg.

 _ **“I don’t want to hurt you.”**_ She hissed, pulling Daria’s leg back and sending her flat onto the floor. Rolling away Daria sprang back up into a fighting position at the same time as Natasha.

 _ **“Then let me go.”**_ Daria let of a flurry of blows which Natasha blocked most of the time, a few of them landing on the softer parts of her body.

 _ **“I can’t.”**_ Natasha rolled backwards over her shoulders. Daria hissed and tackled her to the ground. She dug her elbow into Natasha’s ribs pushing down hard onto her floating rib. Her other hand tangled in her hair holding her head down. Natasha gasped in pain.

“Nat!” Clint shouted from his position.

“I’ve got this.” She growled and twisted her head to bite down hard on Daria’s wrist at the same she hooked her legs round Daria’s feet. Bucked her hips and punched Daria in the gut. Her hand came back with red.

 ** _“I won’t be one become one of their monsters again. I’d rather die.”_** Daria growled twisting off of Natasha to reach for the gun.

 _ **“I won’t let them take you.”** _ She hissed. Tackling Daria as her hand clasped around the gun.

 ** _“Prove it.”_** Daria whimpered as Natasha settled over her ribs. Daria bucked upwards weakly and back-fisted Natasha to the face as she tried to escape. Natasha’s vest pulled out from her catsuit pants and Daria gasped as her hands lighted on the scar above her left hip.

 ** _“I- no. How are you alive?”_** She gasped. _‘What? She knows about this?’_ Her breathing became erratic and laboured and she thrashed about recklessly. **_“No no no no no NO!”_ ** Daria screamed and scratched her hands down Natasha’s arm, wrenching the gun from her grip and pushing it under her own chin.

 _ **“NO!”** _ Natasha yelled and threw her body down onto Daria, pushing the gun out from under her chin. The crack echoed around the room like a whip. Natasha opened her eyes from her position on top of Daria where she lay prone, her head had smacked against the linoleum on the other side of Daria’s head when the gun went off.

Peeling her eyes open she saw a stream of red trickling along in front of her eyes, her eyes barely open through the throbbing in her head. _'Oh god. '_

“Natasha? Nat what’s happened? Are you ok? Please say you’re ok.” Clint muttered as he dropped from the ceiling. The doors at the other end of the corridor banged open and a stampede of footsteps followed. _‘What happened?’_ Her head throbbed with pain and she scrunched her eyes shut.

Hands grasped around her shoulders and she bolted backwards. Her hands flying out to lash out. “hey, hey it’s just me Nat.” _‘Clint? What’s he doing here?’_

“What happ-” Her eyes landed on the girl below her. Her hand slapped over her mouth at what she saw, she scrambled off of her until her back hit the wall. A shocked noise of distraught left her throat.

The memory of the last half an hour flashing in front of her eyes, like strobe lights. Bile rose in her throat. Blonde hair intermingling with hot sticky blood, on the stark white linoleum of the floor. The whole bottom half of Daria’s face was covered in a vivid red mask of blood. There was a burn mark scaring the right hand side of her face. _‘She tried to kill herself.’_ There was only a small patch of her face that wasn’t covered in blood or raw skin.

The rest of the team was stood a couple of paces away. Jane cried out and Thor restrained her against his chest.

“No. No no no no no.” Natasha whimpered to herself as she crawled back to her. Daria’s eyes had fallen shut and her chest wasn’t moving. _‘Please don’t be dead. I can’t. I can’t. I can’t.’_ She leant over her. Red curls falling into her eyes. “ ** _Milaya, no. Please don’t leave me._** ” She cried and pressed her shaking hand to her pulse point, her breaths wracked through her body as if she had forgotten how to breath.

“Lady Natasha…”

She sobbed as she felt nothing and looked up to Thor and opened her mouth to answer when she felt a brief movement under her fingers and gasped. “She’s alive.” A collective sigh of relief echoed around the corridor.

“She’s alive?” Jane cried and pushed off of Thor’s chest as chaos ensued around them to get medical personnel to them.

* * *

“What do we do with her? She definitely can’t stay here now. It’s not safe for her or the med staff.” Maria asked the congregation that was stood outside of the hulk proof containment room. Daria-Darcy had been brought there after the doctors had patched her up and assessed her.

The bullet had missed going into her skull but it had forced Darcy’s head to hit the linoleum. Mixed with a brain bleed from what they assumed was an overload of past memories and her other injuries had forced her body into a coma. _‘But she’s alive. She’ll make it through and I’ll be there to help her.’_

Natasha was sat slumped down in a chair, her head pressed to an ice pack from where it had hit the floor earlier. The skin of her face was raw from her sobbing, she was exhausted in every way possible.  _‘I need to keep her safe. I won’t let her get hurt again.’_

“She’s a danger to herself, she doesn’t trust her own brain. Plus we don’t know when she’ll wake up; her brain’s gone through a lot of trauma before the cerebral haemorrhage she just had. It could be a day, or three weeks or three years. There’s no way to tell at this point, she needs time to heal.” Bruce added. Natasha stood from her position wincing at all of the various injuries. 

“It’s a small mercy I’d say.” Stark grimaced. Rogers scowled at him and rubbed at his temples.

“I have somewhere she can go.” Natasha stated, taking a deep breath. “It’s a safe house, built like a fortress that no one apart from Clint knows about. I’ll take her there. She won’t be able to hurt anyone and I can have someone check in on her once a day, make sure she’s alright.” Natasha swallowed and looked to everyone else.

“I don’t see a better option for her or us.” Maria replied, voicing the groups opinion. 

The group slowly left one by one until she was left alone with just Clint and Steve. Clint stroked her upper arm and pulled her into a brief embrace before leaving the room. It was just Steve now. 

“Nat-” 

“I think she worked with Barnes. That they were a team, she his shadow. I heard once- just once- that he wasn’t working alone. And then today she-she recognised my scar.” Natasha subconsciously stroked the scar above her hip. “She knew him, I’m sure now.” _‘I can save her. He might be able to save him as well. I’ll be able to know her, my sestra. We won’t have to hurt each other again. ’_

Steve looked shocked momentarily and walked towards Natasha till they were level in front of the glass looking into the room. “She’ll wake up. You won’t lose her.” He reassured, not looking her in the eye but staring at the blonde comatose girl. 

“And he’ll come back to you Steve. It may not happen soon but he will.” Nat stated.

“Maybe they can help each other. Shared experiences and all.”  Steve half-smirked.

“We’ll have to wait and see. I’m just glad I got to see her again, I can protect her this time. Help her bring down the monsters that did this to us.” Natasha pressed her palm against the glass. 

“You don’t have to do it alone.” Steve added before turning to leave the room.  Nat smiled predatorily.

“I was hoping you would say that. Once she’s settled at mine we can follow the trail of information she left us.” 

Steve paused in his step. “What information?” 

Natasha smirked for the first time in what felt like a lifetime.“You’ll see… I have a feeling it might lead us to Barnes.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading again, all we have left now is the epilogue! I have to say some of the interactions between Darcy and Nat were influenced by some of Sarah and Helena's interactions from Orphan Black (So good by the way, you should all watch it) Thank you for all of your lovely comments they're so encouraging and it makes me really happy and glad that you've all stuck around after the bad things I've put these characters through :)


	24. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Italics are flashbacks.

_His hands clasped around the door handle as he barged his shoulder into the solid door to the basement. The Soldier was ordered to wait in the basement for Nightshade. Her mission was to get the information to shut down the security system. Once they got there they were to follow the blue prints into subsystem below the city library._

_**Follow it. Eliminate the targets in the subsystem. Take any papers seen before getting out of there.** _

_The clack of heels echoed down the stairs and The Soldier turned around to see Nightshade stalk down the stairs a gun in her left hand. Her dark curled hair was mussed and pulled back away from her blue eyes. A dark red bruise apparent on her neck where it met her shoulder, the black lace of her dress skimming her shoulders and her ample breasts._

_Her blue eyes met his own as she walked further into the room going towards the security system near the door in the back. “Ready?” She asked her fingers ripping at the sides of her tight skirt so her legs had free movement. The Soldier nodded from behind his mask and she pushed the numbers quickly into the pad._

_“Good.” She replied and waited back so he could go first with the assault rifle._

_Once they got to the entrance to the basement of the city library and he nodded to Nightshade to go before him. She nodded and looked to the wires above the door which lead into the ceiling. A high metallic noise rang in his ears as she pulled a thin knife from her garter and set about cutting the wires open to follow its path._

_Screwing her eyes up and tilting her head to the side she beckoned him over. “I need to get up there, give me a boost.” She stated and he knelt down onto one knee as she clambered onto his shoulders. She tapped his shoulder and he stood up, his metal arm wrapping around her warm bare calf and his flesh hand wrapped around her other calf._

_She quickly pulled the system out from the ceiling and ripped the circuitry down. He could hear an electric whir from behind his head as Nightshade shut the system down behind him._

_“Done.” She said as he put her down and she pulled the door open._

_It took quick work for them to eliminate all of the targets in the basement. Nightshade alternating between ripping her blade through them or pressing her hand gun into their bodies. He offloaded his ammunition into their temples knocking them down where they stood. Scanning the room they picked out blood soaked files and loaded them into a briefcase before retracing their steps back out onto the streets._

_Taking separate routes, his via the roofs and hers via the streets, they made their way back to the motel rooms they had reserved in a nearby hotel._

_The Soldier was swiping his rifles as he heard his window slide open. Turning round he brought the rifle to his eye as the deadly form of Nightshade entered the window._

_He dropped the rifle to the desk and stood still as Nightshade sauntered over to him. “We’re alone now, you can take off the mask.” She spoke her voice silky as she pulled her hair down._

_The soldier walked forward until he was standing in front of her looking down to her face. He tilted his head to the side as she looked up into his eyes, squinting, before a catlike grin graced her blood red lips. She brought her hands up and he clasped them in his hands stopping their movement before dropping them and letting them carry on their path towards his face._

_She slipped her nails into the clasp of his mask and popped it off of his face before pulling it off and stepping back away from him. “There, you don’t look so bad now, do you?”_

_His lips quirked up of their own accord and he looked to the side before following her. “Nightshade-”_

_“It’s Daria.” She stated as she slipped out of her heels and her posture relaxed._

_“Daria.” He said tasting her name on his lips and reached his hand out to touch her brown locks._

_“Mhmm.” She purred and leant into the touch of his flesh hand. “What’s yours?”_

_His hand stopped in her hair and dropped to her shoulder as a glazed look covered his face. “James… I think.” Daria quirked her lips and looked out of the corner of her eyes._

_“Is this good?” She asked, pressing her body up against his, her thumb stroking lightly against his wind chapped cheeks. Light puffs of her breath tickling his face, his tongue wetting his lips of their own accord._

_“ **Kukla** , this is the only good I’ll ever get.” She smiled, her lip curling up in a half smirk as he caressed her hip and pulled her tight to his body. Leaning down he slid his hand into her locks, tilting her head back. She let out a breathy sigh as his chapped lips met her velvet ones. _

_The heat from her plump lips seeped into him and he pressed in harder, chasing it. Her breath hitched and pressed back into him with the same ferociousness, pulling his bottom lip between her own, nipping at it and eliciting a growl from him._

_He walked her backwards until she was resting against the wall. Her hands wandered down his back and pulled him close until there was no space between them. Her nails dug into his neck and he released her lips, huffing a breath. Daria sighed as his mouth went to her neck and she jumped and wrapped her legs around his waist._

_He laughed for the first time he could remember and she slammed her lips back onto his._

* * *

Bucky launched out of the bed and swiped the beads of sweat off of his forehead. _Daria…Nightshade_. He swung his legs off of the bed and jumped up to rip a notebook out of his backpack. _Daria_. He scratched her name into the notebook and hastily shoved necessities into the bag. _Need to find her._

Slipping his bag onto his back he slunk out of the window and ran across the buildings, getting away from the apartment. His mind racing over the flashes of brown locks, fresh scars, silver blades and shark teeth hidden in a pretty mouth. He ran away, not sure where he was going but knowing that Daria would play a part of its path.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is finally the end of the story, i'm sad to be finished but glad that I've actually managed to finish it! I hoped you liked it, I'll be happy to answer any questions :)

**Author's Note:**

> Hi this is my first fanfiction so I hope you enjoyed it! After nagging from my older sister (Who is also my Beta) I uploaded this , updates will probably be slow because I'm starting school again in a couple of weeks. This does have a definite plotline that I will be trying to write and as of yet pairings for this fic are undecided!


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